MINIMALLY INVASIVE VERSUS SURGICAL SOLUTIONS FOR CHRONIC ANAL FISSURE
Clinical medicine

MINIMALLY INVASIVE VERSUS SURGICAL SOLUTIONS FOR CHRONIC ANAL FISSURE

Published 2026-03-25

Authors:

G.Kh. Abdiyeva
Azerbaijan Medical University image/svg+xml
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3810-2531
M.F. Amirova
Azerbaijan Medical University image/svg+xml
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5598-6995
E.V. Nabiyeva
Azerbaijan Medical University image/svg+xml
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4786-8670
M.M. Mursalov
Azerbaijan Medical University image/svg+xml
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7210-8681

Abstract:
Chronic anal fissure is a common anorectal disorder associated with considerable morbidity. Lateral internal sphincterotomy is regarded as the gold standard because of its consistently high healing rates, while botulinum toxin injection has been proposed as a less invasive alternative. This study evaluated 48 female patients with chronic anal fissure, divided equally into two groups: botulinum toxin injection (24 patients) and lateral internal sphincterotomy (24 patients). The mean age was similar between groups at approximately 37 years. At twelve months, healing was higher in the lateral internal sphincterotomy group (95.8 %) compared with the botulinum toxin injection group (75 %), though this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.0532). Repeat injection was required in 12.5 % of patients. Transient incontinence occurred in 12.5 % of botulinum toxin patients but resolved, whereas 8 % of surgical patients reported persistent incontinence at one year. Botulinum toxin offered faster recovery and fewer complications.
Keywords:
chronic anal fissure botulinum toxin injection lateral internal sphincterotomy recurrence incontinence
References:
  1. Alyanak A, Gulen M, Ege B. Comparison of botulinum toxin (BoNT) injection and lateral internal sphincterotomy (redo-LIS) for recurrent anal fissure treatment. Frontiers in Surgery, 2022; 9, 988082. doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2022.988082.
  2. Amirova MF, Huseynova EE, Aliyev AN. Impact of vitamin D levels drop on endometrial hyperplastic post-menopausal bleeding. Surgical Clinics and Practice, 2025; 2(1), 1–5. DOI: 10.33425/3066-6538.1009.
  3. Arslan C, Yildirim Y, Kocak M, Bisgin T, Bayraktar IE, Bayraktar O. The 5-year outcomes and predictors of healing in chronic anal fissure treated with botulinum toxin: A retrospective analysis of 199 cases. Techniques in Coloproctology. 2025; 29(1), 122. doi.org/10.1007/s10151-025-03162-y.
  4. Ascanelli S, Rossin E, Aisoni F, Sette E, Chimisso L, Valpiani G. et al. Botulinum toxin injection for chronic anal fissure: a prospective controlled study with long follow-up. Minerva Surg. 2024 Jun;79(3):293-302. doi: 10.23736/S2724-5691.24.10228-6.
  5. Asefa Z, Awedew AF. Comparing closed versus open lateral internal sphincterotomy for management of chronic anal fissure: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports. 2023; 13, 20957. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48286-z.
  6. Bonyad A, Zadeh RH, Asgari S, Eghbal F, Hajhosseini P, Ghadri H et. al.. Botulinum toxin injection versus lateral internal sphincterotomy for chronic anal fissure: A meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Langenbeck’s Archives of Surgery. 2024; 409(1), 355. doi.org/10.1007/s00423-024-03484-9.
  7. Brisinda G, Chiarello M, Crocco A, Bentivoglio AR. Botulinum toxin injection for the treatment of chronic anal fissure: Uni- and multivariate analysis of the factors that promote healing. International Journal of Colorectal Disease.2022; 37(3). doi.org/10.1007/s00384-022-04110-0.
  8. Cakir C, Idiz UO, Aydin I, Firat D, Ulusoy AI, Yazici P. Comparison of the effectiveness of two treatment modalities for chronic anal fissure: Botox versus sphincterotomy. Turkish Journal of Surgery. 2020; 36(3), 264–270. doi.org/10.47717/turkjsurg.2020.4492.
  9. FernándezHurtado I, PagésValle N, BaenaBradaschia S, ColásRuiz E, CastroSuárez M, CifuentesRódenas JA. Ultrasound-guided botulinum toxin for the treatment of chronic anal fissure: Technical notes. Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas. 2023; doi.org/10.17235/reed.2023.10031/2023.
  10. Gallo G, Micarelli A, DeSimone V, Tierno S, Tomassini F, Goglia M. et. al. Fissurectomy with or without anoplasty for chronic anal fissures is a valid alternative to lateral internal sphincterotomy: A retrospective cohort study of 475 patients. Techniques in Coloproctology. 2025; 29(1), 104. doi.org/10.1007/s10151-025-03129-z.
  11. Jin JZ, Bhat S, Park B, Hardy MO, Unasa H, MauiliuWallis M et al. A systematic review and network meta-analysis comparing treatments for anal fissure. Surgery. 2022; 172(1), 41–52. doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2021.11.030.
  12. Lee KH, Hyun K, Yoon SG, Lee JK. Minimal lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS): Is it enough to cut less than the conventional tailored LIS? Annals of Coloproctology. 2021; 37(5), 275–280. doi.org/10.3393/ac.2020.00976.0139.
  13. Peeroo S, Rajagopalan A, Arachchi A, Penfold S, Roschach B, Nguyen C. et. al. Outcomes following intrasphincteric injection of botulinum toxin for treatment of anal fissures. Cureus. 2024. doi.org/10.7759/cureus.53668
  14. Thippeswamy KM, Gruber M, Abdelaziz H. Efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin injection in the management of chronic symptomatic anal fissure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Tech Coloproctol 29, 44 (2025). doi.org/10.1007/s10151-024-03087-y.
Publication:
«World of Medicine and Biology» Vol. 22 No. 1 (2026) , с. 7-12
УДК 616.35-002-089+615.814