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Anal Fissure

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The ASCRS Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery

Abstract

An anal fissure, or fissure-in-ano, is a linear or an oval-shaped tear distal to the dentate line in the anal canal. Patients afflicted with this disorder most commonly complain of severe pain with bowel movements as well as bright red blood per rectum. Anal fissures are assumed to be very common although it is difficult to estimate disease prevalence since diagnosis of anorectal disorders is generally inaccurate. In addition, it is likely that a large proportion of patients with anal fissures never seek medical care and thus the condition is much more prevalent in the general population as compared to what is seen in clinical practice. In one survey, 80% of participants with symptoms attributed to the anorectum did not consult a physician.1

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Lahey Clinic, Burlington, MA, USA

    Rocco Ricciardi MD, MPH

  2. Division of Colorectal Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Sharon L. Dykes MD

  3. Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Robert D. Madoff MD, FACS

Authors
  1. Rocco Ricciardi MD, MPH
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  2. Sharon L. Dykes MD
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  3. Robert D. Madoff MD, FACS
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    David E. Beck MD, FACS, FASCRS

  2. Department of Colorectal Surgery, Lahey Clinic, Tufts University School of Medicine, Burlington, Massachusetts, USA

    Patricia L. Roberts MD, FACS, FASCRS

  3. Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Rush Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Theodore J. Saclarides MD, FACS, FASCRS

  4. Department of Surgery, Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

    Anthony J. Senagore MD, FACS, FASCRS

  5. Department of Surgery, UCI Medical Center, Orange, California, USA

    Michael J. Stamos MD, FACS, FASCRS

  6. Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA

    Steven D. Wexner MD, FACS, FASCRS, FRCS, FRCS(Ed)

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© 2011 ASCRS (American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons)

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Ricciardi, R., Dykes, S.L., Madoff, R.D. (2011). Anal Fissure. In: Beck, D.E., Roberts, P.L., Saclarides, T.J., Senagore, A.J., Stamos, M.J., Wexner, S.D. (eds) The ASCRS Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1584-9_12

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