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Glyceryl trinitratevs. sphincterotomy for treatment of chronic fissure-in-ano

A randomized, controlled trial

  • Original Contributions
  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to compare local application of a glyceryl trinitrate ointment with lateral internal sphincterotomy for the treatment of chronic fissure-in-ano. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A sample of 24 consecutive patients with chronic anal fissure was randomly allocated to treatment with sphincterotomy or local glyceryl trinitrate. Patients were followed-up for a median of 22 months. RESULTS: All 12 patients healed following sphincterotomy; 10 of 12 healed with local glyceryl trinitrate ( P =0.239). There were no recurrences or side-effects in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Local application of glyceryl trinitrate can avoid surgery in more than 80 percent of patients with chronic anal fissure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GIT Unit, Department of Surgery, JG Strijdom Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa

    G. J. Oettlé F.R.C.S.(Edinb.)

  2. GIT Unit, Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    G. J. Oettlé F.R.C.S.(Edinb.)

Authors
  1. G. J. Oettlé F.R.C.S.(Edinb.)
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Oettlé, G.J. Glyceryl trinitratevs. sphincterotomy for treatment of chronic fissure-in-ano. Dis Colon Rectum 40, 1318–1320 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050816

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050816

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