DEFINITION
Anorectal abscess is a pus-filled cavity formed by bacterial
infection of the glands that produce mucus in the anus and rectum.
CAUSE
Abscesses can form in the rectum or near the anus. An
abscess occurs because of blockage of the glands that produce mucus in the anus
or rectum, which the bacteria then grow and multiply.
Although the anus is an area that has a lot of bacteria, but
the infection usually does not occur because the area is rich in blood flow. If
infection occurs, it is usually an infection caused by a combination of various
types of bacteria.
Anorectal abscess especially at risk occurs in people with
Crohn's disease. Sometimes, abscesses can also occur as a result of
complications of diverticulitis or pelvic inflammatory disease.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms that appear depend on the location of the
abscess:
·
Abscesses are formed just under the skin can be
swollen, red and very painful.
·
Abscesses that form inside the rectum are often
only cause few symptoms, but can cause fever and pain in the lower abdomen.
An abscess can cause damage to nearby tissues and in certain
cases may cause interference to control defecation (anal incontinence).
DIAGNOSIS
An abscess usually can be seen from the outside if it is
located in the skin around the anus. However, if no visible swelling or redness
from the outside, it can do a digital rectal examination to check whether there
is an abscess in it. The swelling that feels soft on the inside of the rectum
can indicate the presence of an abscess.
A CT (Computed Tomography) scan can be done if there is
suspected deep abscess. This examination can be used to determine the location
and how large abscesses that occur.
TREATMENT
Handling is done depends on the location of the abscess:
·
For the abscess which is located just under the
skin, can be made an incision to remove the pus in it. However, before the skin
will be made numb with local anesthetic.
·
For a deeper abscess, the patient will be under
general anesthesia before surgery to remove the pus contained in the abscess.
Despite receiving proper treatment, at about two-thirds of
patients, an abscess can cause the formation of abnormal channel from the anus
or rectum to the skin (anorectal fistula).
REFERENCE
- A, Parswa. Anorectal abscess. Merck Manual Home Health Handbook.
2012.
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