Day surgery for anal fissure

Published 13 March 2026 ·Last reviewed 13 March 2026 by the editorial team ·How we create our content

A composite account, drawn from many real anonymised experiences. It is not any one person's story.

What this experience covers

This experience describes what day surgery for an anal fissure is like — from arriving at the hospital through the procedure itself and going home the same day. It covers LIS (lateral internal sphincterotomy), fissurectomy, and botox injection, as all three are commonly performed as day cases. It is a composite drawn from many anonymised accounts.

The pattern

Before you arrive

Most people describe the days before surgery as a mixture of relief and anxiety. Relief that something is being done. Anxiety about the procedure itself, the anaesthetic, and the first bowel movement afterwards.

Practical preparation people describe:

Starting stool softeners several days before
Stocking up on sitz bath supplies, soft foods, and comfortable clothing
Arranging someone to drive them home
Taking one to three days off work
Packing a small bag: loose clothing, pads, water, phone charger

Arrival and the morning

People describe arriving at the day surgery unit, usually in the early morning. The routine is straightforward:

Check-in and paperwork
Changing into a hospital gown
Meeting the anaesthetist and surgeon
A period of waiting — often the longest and most anxious part

The waiting is consistently described as worse than the procedure. People recommend bringing something to occupy the mind.

The procedure

Most anal fissure day surgery is done under general anaesthetic, though some centres use spinal anaesthesia. The procedure itself takes minutes — typically ten to thirty minutes depending on the type.

People describe:

Being wheeled into theatre
The anaesthetist starting the process
Waking up in recovery — for most, feeling like they blinked and it was over
Mild grogginess and occasionally some initial soreness

Waking up and recovery

The immediate post-operative period is spent in the recovery area:

Nurses monitoring vitals and pain levels
Being offered water and eventually food
Pain assessment — most people describe the immediate post-operative pain as manageable thanks to the anaesthesia
Some people experience difficulty urinating, which the team monitors for

Going home

People are typically discharged within a few hours of the procedure if:

They can eat and drink
They can urinate
Pain is manageable
They have someone to take them home

The journey home is described as manageable but uncomfortable. Sitting on a cushion in the car helps. Most people go straight to bed or the sofa.

The first evening

People describe feeling surprisingly okay — the anaesthesia and any pain medication from the hospital are still working. The temptation is to think recovery will be easy. Most experienced people advise using this window to get set up: sitz bath ready, medications organised, comfortable clothing on.

The first bowel movement

This generates more anxiety than the surgery itself. It typically happens within the first 24 to 48 hours. People who had started stool softeners before surgery describe it as uncomfortable but manageable. The anticipation is consistently worse than the reality.

What people wish they had known

That day surgery does not mean quick recovery. The procedure is done in a day. The healing takes weeks. People describe needing to mentally prepare for a recovery period that extends well beyond the day itself.

When to contact your doctor

Seek medical attention if you experience:

Significant bleeding that does not stop
Severe pain that is getting worse despite medication
Fever or signs of infection
Difficulty urinating that does not resolve
Any symptoms that concern you

When to seek care Heavy bleeding or feeling faint: emergency. Fever or trouble passing urine: call today. Emergency: 911

Not sure how urgent it is? Get help today.

Emergency
Heavy bleeding, black tarry stools, feeling faint, severe pain or trouble breathing.

Call 911 or go to the ER.
Today
Fever, pain getting worse, a hot swollen lump, or trouble passing urine.

Call your doctor or go to urgent care.
Soon
Bleeding or bowel changes nobody has checked, or anything lasting 3 weeks.

Book a doctor’s appointment.

Feeling overwhelmed? Call or text 988, any time.

See all the signs

For this topic, get medical advice if you notice:

Severe or worsening pain
Heavy bleeding
Fever
Black stools
Fainting or dizziness
Pus or unusual discharge
Inability to pass stool or gas
Unexplained weight loss

Recording how you feel is not the same as being checked. These are the signs that need a doctor’s attention.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room now if you have:

bleeding that will not stop, a lot of blood (the toilet water turns red, or you pass large clots), or any bleeding with feeling faint or dizzy
fainting, a racing heart or trouble breathing
confusion or slurred speech, extreme shivering, no urine in a day, or blotchy skin
sudden severe belly pain, or a swollen, hard belly with vomiting or not passing stool or gas
you cannot pass urine at all, or your bladder feels full and painful and you can’t empty it
redness, swelling or severe pain spreading quickly around your anus, genitals or groin, especially with a fever or feeling very ill
a fever with a painful swelling near your anus if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system (for example, from chemotherapy or transplant medicines)
black, tarry stools

Call your doctor or go to urgent care today (or the ER if you can’t be seen today) if you have:

a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, vomiting, or feeling generally unwell
pain that is getting worse over days, or severe pain that stops you sitting or sleeping
a hot, swollen or very tender lump near your anus or at the top of the crease between your buttocks, or foul-smelling discharge
trouble urinating
bleeding that is getting heavier or more frequent, or blood mixed into your stool
feeling much more tired than usual, looking pale, or getting out of breath more easily than you used to
not passing stool for several days, or new belly pain

Make an appointment with your doctor if:

you have never had these symptoms checked by a doctor or nurse — whatever your age
you have had rectal bleeding for more than 3 weeks
your bowel movements have been looser, thinner or more frequent than usual for 3 weeks or more, or you have lost weight without trying
symptoms have not settled after a week or so, or keep coming back
you notice a new lump near your anus, between your buttocks or in your belly, or an itch or discharge that does not clear
you have new leakage or trouble controlling your bowels
you are 45 or over, or have a family history of bowel cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, and any of these symptoms are new for you

If you are unsure, it is always reasonable to ask. If things feel overwhelming, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time. If you don’t feel safe, call 911.

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