Anal abscess and fistula in Tijuana: treat the cause, protect the muscle

A painful, swollen lump near the anus is often an abscess. A small opening that keeps draining weeks later is usually a fistula. Both need a specialist, and neither heals with antibiotics alone.

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Abscess & fistula

What it is

Anal Abscess and Fistula

An anal abscess is a pocket of pus that forms when one of the small glands inside the anal canal becomes blocked and infected. It causes throbbing pain, swelling and sometimes fever, and it has to be drained.

An anal fistula is a small tunnel that connects the inside of the anal canal with the skin near the anus. Up to half of abscesses leave a fistula behind. Fistulas are classified by how much sphincter muscle they cross, and that decides which operation is safe.

Common symptoms

Constant, throbbing pain near the anus
A red, warm, swollen lump
Fever or feeling unwell
Pus or blood draining from a small opening
Symptoms that return in the same spot

The diagnosis is confirmed at your evaluation.

Treatment

How abscess and fistula are treated

From the simplest to the most specialized; we only move forward if needed.

Drain the abscess

A small incision releases the pus and relieves the pain. It is done promptly; waiting lets the infection spread.

Map the fistula

Exam under anesthesia and, in complex cases, MRI or endoanal ultrasound to see the tunnel and the muscle it crosses.

Choose the technique

Fistulotomy for simple tracts; seton, LIFT or advancement flap when sphincter muscle must be preserved.

Follow the healing

Wound care, sitz baths and scheduled reviews until the tract has closed completely.

Diagnosis

How it is diagnosed

Most abscesses and fistulas are diagnosed in the office from the history and the exam. Deep abscesses and complex or recurrent fistulas benefit from imaging before surgery. When fistulas are multiple or keep returning, Crohn’s disease is ruled out.

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FAQ

What people ask most

Can an abscess be cured with antibiotics?

Antibiotics alone do not cure an abscess: the pus has to be drained. They are added in specific situations, such as diabetes, spreading skin infection or a weakened immune system.

Does every abscess become a fistula?

No. Roughly a third to a half do. If drainage persists or the lump returns in the same place after a few weeks, a fistula is likely and should be examined.

Is fistula surgery risky for continence?

The key is choosing the technique according to how much muscle the tract crosses. Sphincter-preserving procedures exist precisely to protect bowel control in complex fistulas.

This page offers general information and does not replace a medical visit. Every case is assessed individually; results and recovery times vary from person to person.

Pilonidal cyst

Pain and swelling at the top of the cleft between the buttocks, sometimes with drainage that stains your clothes, is typical of pilonidal disease.

Learn more

Anal warts (HPV)

Small bumps around or inside the anus are common and treatable.