FISSIT (Fistula Surgery in Italy) study: A retrospective survey on the surgical management of anal fistulas in Italy over the last 15 years.

Abstract Background Surgical treatment of anal fistulas is still a challenge. The aims of this study were to evaluate the adoption and healing rates for the different surgical techniques used in Italy over the past 15 years. Methods This was a multicenter retrospective observational study of patients affected by simple and complex anal fistulas of cryptoglandular origin who were surgically treated in the period 2003–2017. Surgical techniques were grouped as sphincter-cutting or sphincter-sparing and as technology-assisted or techno-free. All patients included in the study were followed for at least 12 months. Results A total of 9,536 patients (5,520 simple; 4,016 complex fistulas) entered the study. For simple fistulas, fistulotomy was the most frequently used procedure, although its adoption significantly decreased over the years (P Conclusion Surgical treatment of anal fistulas has changed, with a trend toward the use of sphincter-sparing techniques. The overall cure rate has remained stable, even if the most innovative procedures have achieved a lower success rate.