The Value of Cutting Seton for High Transsphincteric Anal Fistula in the Era of Its Misery

OBJECTIVES: We studied the outcome of cutting seton in the treatment of a high transsphincteric anal fistula in Sudan. METHODS: This was a prospective study of high transsphincteric anal fistulas at Kassala Police Hospital, Sudan, over the course of 24 months (2016–2017). The main outcomes measured were recurrence, incontinence and primary healing rates. RESULTS: The cases of 72 patients treated with cutting seton for high transsphincteric fistula were analysed, with 50 (70%) of the patients being male and 22 (30%) being female. Forty-eight (66.7%) patients required two sessions of seton tightening with a duration of seton treatment of 30 days and 24 (33.3%) patients required three sessions with a duration of seton treatment of 45 days. Only one patient (1.4%) had flatus incontinence. Three (4.2%) patients had minimal bleeding from the seton site and two (2.8%) patients experienced fistula recurrence. Twenty-six (36%) patients achieved complete healing within 30 days, while 36 (54.3%) patients healed within 60 days. The remaining seven (9.7%) patients healed after 60 days. Chronic pain was reported by two (2.8%) patients after complete healing. CONCLUSION: In Sudan, cutting seton remains relevant, as it produces minimal incontinence with a low recurrence rate in high transsphincteric fistula treatment.