Does Adding a Fissurectomy to Botox Sphincterotomy Increase Success Rate or Just Cost?

Abstract

Background While Botox sphincterotomy with or without fissurectomy has been proven effective in healing anal fissures, they have not been directly compared. We evaluated cost-effectiveness and outcomes between Botox sphincterotomies with and without fissurectomy. Methods A 5-year retrospective review was conducted comparing all patients undergoing Botox sphincterotomy for anal fissure with or without fissurectomy. Outcomes including recurrence/persistence, additional treatments, complications, and total charges were compared between study groups. Results Patients treated without fissurectomy (n = 53) had recurrent/persistent fissure more often (56.6 vs 31.0%, P = .001), and required more Botox treatments. Those treated with fissurectomy (n = 154) had more complications (13.5 vs 0%, P = .003). Patients initially treated without fissurectomy had a median total charge of $2 973, while median total charge for those initially treated with fissurectomy was $17 925 (P < .001). Conclusions Botox sphincterotomy in an office without fissurectomy is a viable option. It may result in longer healing times but is associated with reduced cost, lower complication rates, and no need for anesthesia or operative intervention in most cases. But the choice of treatment route must be individualized.