Anal Diseases among Patients with Leukemia.
- Author:
Won Kyung KANG
1
;
Hyo Sin JEON
;
Hyung Jin KIM
;
In Kyu LEE
;
Hae Myung JEON
;
Myung Ah LEE
;
Suk Kyun CHANG
;
Seong Taek OH
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. stoh@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Anal disease;
Leukemia;
Perianal abscess
- MeSH:
Abscess;
Drainage;
Fever;
Fistula;
Hemorrhoidectomy;
Hemorrhoids;
Humans;
Incidence;
Leukemia*;
Medical Records;
Prevalence;
Prognosis;
Rectal Fistula
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Coloproctology
2006;22(2):86-90
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Anal diseases are a common complication among patients with leukemia, and the perianal abscess may prove to be the most fatal among anal diseases. We report here the prevalence, the treatment methods, and the prognosis for anal diseases among patients with leukemia. METHODS: Among the 310 patients who were diagnosed with and treated for leukemia between October 1999 and September 2000, we investigated the medical records of 53 patients with complications due to anal diseases. RESULTS: Among the 310 patients with leukemia, 53 (17.1%) reported anal diseases. There were 30 patients with hemorrhoids, 15 patients with a perianal abscess, 3 patients with an anal fistula, 3 patients with a fissure and 2 patients with hemorrhoids and fistulas. Anal pain was the most common complaint. Conservative treatment improved the symptoms in 42 patients (79.2%) while surgery was necessary in the remaining 11 patients (20.8%). A hemorrhoidectomy was undertaken in 4 patients, a drainage procedure in 4 paients, and a fistulotomy in 3 patients. Throughout the study period, 6 patients died (11.3%), 3 of them with perianal abscesses. Among the 15 patients with a perianal abscess, 13 showed fever (87%), and 9 patients underwent drainage (4 surgical drainages and 5 natural drainages). E. coli was the most commonly cultured organism. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of anal diseases in patients with leukemia was high. Nonsurgical methods were sufficient for hemorrhoids and fistulas. For a perianal abscess, drainage should be undertaken when abscess formation is evident. When abscess formation is not evident, medical treatment is the primary modality, and surgery should be considered only when medical treatment fails to improve or worsens the patient's condition, but the prognosis is poor.
