So it turns out that what I thought was a fissure was most likely an assess which is now a fistula. The CRS said he needs to put me under to explore it and says he will most likely either do a fistulotomy or seton drain.

The seton drain isn't a tube, it's just a thread? I know about the cutting seton but I am not sure how the drain seton works.

Also, I told the doc that I am not married and have no one to pack the wound for me if its a fistulotomy. He said that's fine, all I have to do is put some gauze there like I am doing now (I leak bloody puss :-( ).

So if I only need to put some gauze back there, why do I see people talking about having nurses pack the wound everyday?

Finally, I have a question about sitting. I hate laying down when I'm not sleeping, I like sitting in my recliner. Can I cut a hole out of a pillow or cushion to make sitting on the recliner easier? I am really dreading the weeks of pain and boredom after surgery.

Surgery is Wednesday.

Hi calc... U have come to the right place for advice and stories u will be able to relate too .. I had an abscess that when drained turned fistula .... Doc told me the same thing about putting me under and seeing whether to do fistolomty or drainage seton .. Well I woke up with both had a drainage seton placed as a fair amount of sphincter muscle was involved with my fistula... The drainage seton is a piece of rubberish material they tied in a loop and it basically is there til the fistula track heals from the fistulotomy and then seton is removed (in the doc office just a snip of the material and it slips right out didn't feel anything) and the interior beginning of the fistula will heal over where the drainage seton was ... I didn't have packing either .. I think packing is more for a lay open which is a bigger deeper wound ... I just placed a piece of gauze over the wound with a small piece of tape to hold in place ... My seton stayed in for 6 wks and then once removed all drainage stopped with in 1-2 wks .... As for the sitting it's going to be what u can handle ... I could not sit for a month or even drive ... But My fistula track was 3-4inches long starting at my rectum to mid butt cheek ... I would lean to the opposite side not laying down or sitting upright but with a lean on my side ... Sitz baths really helped sooth me after surgery ... Hope all goes well with ur surgery keep us updated ... And if u have anymore questions ask away :)

That kinda bothers me. All the doctors seem to say it will heal in 2-6 weeks, yet all the actual stories from people who had the surgery say 2-4 months, some even longer. The doctors say you can go back to work in 1-2 weeks, yet people can't sit even a month later. I can't live life without sitting or driving, I have responsibilities and I don't want to lay on my side for months on end.

I'm just very aggravated.