Anorectal fistulous abscesses. Long-term follow-up of the 1st operation, in 287 cases]

A review of a series of 287 operations for peri-anal fistulous abscess in patients admitted for the first time, to the 1st Surgical Division of the Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Milan, is reported. Surgical management adapted as far as possible to the anatomy of the anal canal and to the aetiopathogenesis of the fistula, resulted in a recurrence rate of only 13%. There were no instances of faecal incontinence. Two cases of partial gas incontinence were observed.