Q: I have been suffering from anal fissure since my daughter was born in 1998. Initially I thought it was haemorrhoids. Only last year I visited a colo-rectal surgeon, who diagnosed it as anal fissure and prescribed some Glyceryl ointment. I mostly eat a fibre rich diet and exercise regularly. I am thinking about removing them surgically. How long will the surgery be? How many days will it take to heal?

A:An anal fissure is a small crack/injury at the anus, and is caused by hard stools. Pregnant women are particularly susceptible. The treatment is by Sitz baths (in the acute stage), stool softeners, and high fibre diet. If the fissure does not trouble you now you do not need surgery, but do take a proper diet. But if the fissure still troubles you it is unlikely to heal without surgery after all this time.