Anal fissure after pelvic radiotherapy
What is an anal fissure?
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Anal fissure treatment
Your doctor can usually prescribe creams to apply to the area that help it heal. It is important to avoid getting constipated, because this can make a fissure worse. Your doctor may prescribe a laxative to make it easier for you to go to the toilet.
If the fissure does not get better, your doctor may advise treating it with injections of botulinum toxin A (Botox®). These are given into the tissue that lines the anus. Botox® causes the muscle to relax, reducing the pain and increasing the blood flow which helps the fissure to heal.
Some people may need a minor operation to make a small cut in the muscle around the anus. This releases the tension in the muscle and allows the fissure to heal. You usually have this operation under a general anaesthetic, as a day patient.
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