Mucosal advancement in the treatment of anal fistula.

One hundred eighty-nine patients with anal fistula treated within an eight-month to seven-year period by anal fistulectomy and rectal mucosal advancement are presented. An 80 percent follow-up revealed a 90 percent asymptomatic group and a ten percent group who had minor symptoms. Eight percent of the symptomatic patients had minor soiling; 7 percent were incontinent for gas, and 6 percent were incontinent for loose stools. No patient was incontinent for solid feces. There was a 1.5 percent rate of recurrent anal fistula comparable to other techniques.