PMID- 25441733
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20150713
LR  - 20220321
IS  - 2245-1919 (Electronic)
IS  - 2245-1919 (Linking)
VI  - 61
IP  - 12
DP  - 2014 Dec
TI  - Management of anal fistula by ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract - a 
      systematic review.
PG  - A4977
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) is a 
      sphincter-preserving procedure for treatment of anal fistulas described in 2007 
      by Rojanasakul et al. Several studies have since then assessed the procedure with 
      varied results. This review assesses the relevant literature on this topic. 
      METHODS: The primary endpoints were healing rates, length of follow-up, time to 
      recurrence and post-operative complications. The secondary endpoints were details 
      of the operative technique. A search was made in the PubMed and Embase electronic 
      databases. Reports where LIFT was combined with other fistula treatment 
      techniques were excluded. Only reports in English were included. Most reports 
      were case studies with no control groups. One report could not be retrieved. 
      RESULTS: A total of 19 original reports were assessed. Details concerning 
      preoperative assessment, antibiotic usage and tract ligation methods varied 
      considerably. Primary healing was achieved in 432 out of 612 (70.6%) patients, 
      and no sphincter function impairments were reported. However, ten out of 19 
      reports did not include an objective assessment of pre- and post-operative 
      continence. No apparent correlation between length of follow-up and healing rate 
      was found, and the longest time to recurrence was eight months. CONCLUSION: LIFT 
      is a safe procedure that provided a mean healing of 70.6% with no reports of 
      impairment of the sphincter function. Future reports should include a follow-up 
      length of a minimum of eight months. It remains uncertain whether the outcome may 
      be improved by prior seton suture insertion.
FAU - Zirak-Schmidt, Samira
AU  - Zirak-Schmidt S
AD  - szi@regionsjaelland.dk.
FAU - Perdawood, Sharaf Karim
AU  - Perdawood SK
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
PT  - Systematic Review
PL  - Denmark
TA  - Dan Med J
JT  - Danish medical journal
JID - 101576205
SB  - IM
MH  - Anal Canal/*surgery
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Ligation/methods
MH  - Male
MH  - Organ Sparing Treatments/methods
MH  - Postoperative Complications/epidemiology
MH  - Postoperative Period
MH  - Rectal Fistula/*surgery
MH  - Recurrence
MH  - Treatment Outcome
MH  - Wound Healing
EDAT- 2014/12/03 06:00
MHDA- 2015/07/15 06:00
CRDT- 2014/12/03 06:00
PHST- 2014/12/03 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2014/12/03 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2015/07/15 06:00 [medline]
AID - A4977 [pii]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Dan Med J. 2014 Dec;61(12):A4977.