Postoperative period after anal fissure surgery

• If the anal fissure is chronic, the only solution is surgery.
• The postoperative period for this surgery depends on the previous severity of the anal fissure and the treatment carried out.
• The postoperative period is between 3 and 4 weeks after the surgery, improving little by little.

An anal fissure is a pathology of the anus that occurs mainly due to constipation, very persistent diarrhoea or sexual practices without proper lubrication. 

Anal fissures cause severe pain during defecation, sometimes lasting for hours. In the latter cases, the patient becomes afraid to go to the toilet because of the pain.

Some anal fissures are temporary and can be cured with medical treatment, but in most cases the fissure becomes chronic and the only possible solution is surgery.

Apart from the operation, what worries patients most when they undergo surgery of this kind is the postoperative period, whether it will hurt a lot, what they will have to do to heal, how long it will take to get completely well, etc.

In the vast majority of cases, the patient leaves the hospital the same day and the anal fissure surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, but it is quite common for the patient to spend a night in hospital resting.

The postoperative period lasts from 3 to 4 weeks, depending on the severity of the anal fissure and the consequent magnitude of the surgery, at which time healing is complete. In any case, postoperative discomfort improves day by day, with the patient gradually noticing the recovery.

During the postoperative period, the patient must follow the instructions and take the medication prescribed by the specialist. Some of these instructions are:

• Take the painkillers prescribed by the surgeon.
• Eat a balanced diet rich in fibre to keep stools soft and avoid pain.
• If constipation persists, laxatives may be prescribed until intestinal transit is normalised.
• Dressings and ointments are not necessary in this type of surgery.
• To clean the wound, sitz baths 2-3 times a day are recommended.

People who undergo anal fissure surgery usually do not suffer from it again. To find out more about this surgery, click on this link: