What this experience covers
This experience covers what day-to-day fistulotomy wound care looks like at home — the routine of sitz baths, dressing changes, and monitoring that becomes part of daily life during recovery. It is a composite drawn from many anonymised accounts.
The pattern
After fistulotomy, the wound is typically left open to heal from the inside out. People describe the first few days at home as a steep learning curve — figuring out how to clean, dress, and monitor a wound in a location that is difficult to see and reach.
The daily routine quickly becomes: sitz bath, clean the wound, pat dry, apply dressing. Repeat after every bowel movement and at least once more during the day. The amount of drainage surprises most people initially but gradually decreases over the first two weeks.
People describe the wound shrinking slowly — often barely noticeable from day to day but visible when compared week to week. The timeline for full healing ranges from four to twelve weeks for most people, though complex fistulotomy wounds can take longer.
What people wish they had known
The most common insight is how much time wound care takes each day — and how that eases as healing progresses. People also wish they had understood that the wound looking raw and producing drainage is expected and normal in the early weeks, not a sign that something has gone wrong.
If something about your recovery does not feel right, or you just want reassurance about what is normal, our chat can help you think it through.
When to contact your doctor
Seek medical attention if you experience:
- Increasing pain, swelling, or redness near the anus
- Fever or chills
- Pus or foul-smelling discharge
- New or worsening symptoms after surgery