So I was on the phone with one of my CRSs today, and he briefly mentioned the possibility of "cauterizing" the fissure. I didn't get a chance to ask him more about it, but it's pretty easy to imagine what such a procedure would entail.
Just curious if anyone has heard anything about this procedure? I remember reading on another site about some folks who had their fissures lasered shut.
(This CRS is supposedly a highly reputable doctor by the way...over 30 yrs experience and affiliated with NYU Med Center...so he's not a quack)

I don't know anything about this, Steve. I think they may do this with hemorrhoids but I haven't heard anything about AF though. Interesting info to think about.

Thanks, Lecia. Hope you're feeling better!

It seems like if it was a reliable, workable procedure, it would be done more often...????

Yeah, I agree. Especially since it seems like the most obvious thing to do.

Thanks Steve,
I am better. Don't know why the surgeon said I should be up and about the same day. I was like "have you seen what you did to my stomach?"

well it's a option in proceeding with fissure or hemmy treatment.
there are many ways surgically (invasive and not so invasive) to deal with this.
cauterizing i would think will help to heal faster just because it tends to close the blood vessels with a laser/cauterizing instrument.
i think this is used more in a fissurectomy where they cut away at the bad scarred skin around the fissure that prevents it from healing. however, i may be wrong.
did he say that this cauterizing would be used in conjunction with another type of procedure?
it's probably best he look at your fissure/anus and then discuss the options right then and there.
but do keep us informed and educated :-)
good luck, steve.

he didn't really mention if it would be used in conjunction with another procedure. he just told me to keep using the nifedipine for a while longer, and if it didn't fix the problem, we could look into other alternatives like botox or cauterizing.
i really feel like what's holding me back is getting consistent soft (and not too bulky) poos. every day seems to be different, even if i eat almost exactly the same thing. if my poo is soft, i'm fine, but if it's a little to big or too hard, i'm screwed.
i haven't taken a stool softener for an extended period because i didn't like how it made me feel the one time i took it...and i don't want to have to rely on it indefinitely for soft poos...i feel like my body will get used to it, then once i go off it, i'll be back to difficult bms. so i'm trying to exhaust my "natural" options.

Maybe you could try some magnesium glycynate like I have been taking?

I would have gone for both (botox and cauterizing, the magnesium I take anyway...) if given the option. I had botox three weeks ago and it was quite helpful. I have had no fissure pain for about a week (I keep saying one of the injections did irritate a roid though, but that is healing and sooooo much less painful than the fissure).
Having had this thing since Jan 2006 (because of complications and a surgery to reopen to fissure) I spent all last year looking into various treatments for fissures, but I have Kaiser and they are incredibly reluctant to do anything. I think they are trying to save money by making patients try to heal on thier own for as long as possible.
That aside, I really thought cauterization would help me take care of the infection/wound. I was particulary in favor of a chemical cautierization by silver nitrate, I think it was. My dr, however, said that it would still be a wound in the area, a burn rather than an open sore. But there is the possibility that the burn would weaken the skin and the wound would reopen, etc... But then again, I have Kaiser, and they are reluctant to do anything there and they are conservative (read old-fashioned) when they do.