Journal
JOURNAL OF CROHNS & COLITIS
Volume 12, Issue 9, Pages 1067-1072Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjy071
Keywords
VAAFT; fistula; patient-reported outcomes
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Funding
- Royal College of Surgeons of England Research Scholarship
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Background and Aims: A third of patients with Crohn's disease develop perianal fistulas. These are associated with a significant burden of symptoms and negative impact on quality of life. This study reports the use of video-assisted anal fistula treatment [VAAFT] as a means of symptom improvement; this is a minimally invasive technique to access fistula track, and diagnose/facilitate drainage of deep/complex secondary extensions with cauterization of excess inflammatory tissue. Methods: Consecutive patients with complex Crohn's fistula undergoing VAAFT for symptomatic Crohn's anal fistula were included. They were identified from a prospectively maintained database, which was interrogated from June 2015 to November 2017. Patients underwent diagnostic fistuloscopy and fulguration of tracts/secondary extensions. Setons were sited/replaced after the procedure to maintain postoperative drainage. The primary endpoint was completion of the ` Measure your medical outcome profile' [MYMOP2] quality of life [QoL] questionnaire at 6 weeks postoperatively. Secondary outcome measures were a decisional regret scale [DRS], postoperative complications and the 30-day re-operation rate. Results: Twenty-five patients underwent the procedure during the study period. In total, 21/25 patients [84%] provided MYMOP2 QoL data demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in both pain and discharge scores. Eighty-one per cent of patients who completed the questionnaire agreed/strongly agreed that the procedure was the right decision and no patient regretted undergoing the procedure. There was one re-operation but otherwise no complications. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility, safety and importantly an improvement in patient-reported outcomes in a series of patients undergoing VAAFT for complex Crohn's anal fistula. VAAFT reduces the main symptoms [pain and discharge] in patients with complex refractory anal fistulas.
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