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Anorectal Abscess & Fistula
An abscess is a collection of pus - rather like
a boil. Abscesses, which occur around the anal area probably, result
from infection of a small gland, which is one of many that may encircle
the lower part of the anal canal. The pus builds up in the tissues
around the anal canal and then tends to present as a painful lump
around the anal area. If the abscess bursts, then there is likely to be
a communication between the lower part of the anal canal and the skin
beside the anus, and such an abnormal communication is referred to as a
fistula.
Abscesses generally will not be cured by
antibiotics and do require drainage ("incising"). Drainage can
sometimes take place as an office procedure, but in most instances will
require proper anaesthesia in an operating room. An abscess may well
recur if the underlying fistula track is not located and laid open.
Often this track can be laid open at the time that the abscess is
drained, but sometimes infection prevents the surgeon from identifying
it. Under such circumstances when all the infection has settled, it may
be appropriate to have a further procedure done at an elective date to
identify the fistula track, lay it open and thus prevent further
problems.
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Authorised: Adrian Polglase
Reviewed: Monday, February 27, 2006
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Gas
July 18, 2007 |
| We’ve all experienced intestinal gas, some more than others. While belching, bloating, and flatulence are considered normal, the urge to pass gas can cause social embarrassment, discomfort and pain. Although you can’t stop gas from forming, you may be able to alleviate the symptoms through diet, lifestyle changes and medications. If you experience persistent gas pains, you should talk to your doctor.
For more information on intestinal gas, visit the ACG Web site at www.acg.gi.org
Source: American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)
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Bowel cancer finding brings screening closer
July 18, 2007 |
| RESEARCHERS have identified for the first time a gene that triggers bowel cancer, a move that could bring closer a genetic screening test for the disease.
The gene, carried by about half the population, appears to increase the risk of developing bowel cancer by 20per cent.
Bowel cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, accounting for about 13,000 new cases a year.
So far, faulty genes have only been implicated in about 5 per cent of all cancers, and 5 per cent of bowel cancers.
In the case of bowel cancers, the genetic defects so far associated with the disease are all thought to be associated with faulty cellular repair mechanisms, meaning that the body loses the ability to kill off cells that start to divide abnormally.
Bowel cancer is also the second most common cause of cancer death in Australia, accounting for 4372 deaths in 2003, or 11.5 per cent of the total fatalities. It is notoriously hard to pick up for a number of reasons, including the difficulty of picking up warning signs - such as blood in the faeces - and patients' reluctance to see their doctors.
This year the federal Government began rolling out a screening program, costing $43 million over three years, whereby older Australians send in a faecal sample for testing.
If blood that could indicate a cancer is detected in the sample, the patient may be called in for further examinations.
The latest findings, published in international journal Nature Genetics, suggest a faulty gene found on chromosome 8 may trigger bowel cancer, and account for 10per cent of all cases of the disease. |
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| Let's Beat Bowel Cancer |
| An initiative of Cabrini Health, Let's Beat Bowel Cancer is a not-for-profit, community awareness program dedicated to saving lives through improved bowel cancer research, education and prevention.
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