Anal fissure is also known as a tear of the anus which occurs after passing hard stools. Pain is often severe and Common symptoms of anal fissure include:

• Sharp anal pain on defecation, especially after hard stools
• Throbbing pain that persists after passing motion.
• Blood on passing motion
• Loose skin felt at area of pain ( sentinel skin tag )

After seeing your specialist, a gentle examination is required to differentiate it from other conditions such as piles (especially if thrombosed), abscess/ infections, fistula-in-ano, and anal cancer etc.

Sometimes the pain is so severe that an internal finger examination is not possible, but one can usually see the tear externally, which is enough to start treatment. Treatment of anal fissure includes:

Non-operative (first-line)

• Stool softeners
• Topical and oral analgesia
• Cream to relax the spasm and increase blood flow to aid healing of fissure\
• Dietary adjustment
  

• Examination under anaesthesia (EUA) & Lateral Anal Sphincterotomy (LAS) done under GA

Surgery is a minor procedure done as a day-surgery, where a thorough examination is performed under anaesthesia, and then a small superficial cut is made at the anal sphincters to loosen the spasm, and improve blood flow to aid healing of the fissure.