Fistula Treatment in PCMC — Sharvari Hospital, Pimple Nilakh

What an anal fistula is — and why it rarely heals on its own

An anal fistula is a small tunnel that forms between the inside of the anal canal and the skin near the anus, usually after an anal gland infection or abscess. Because one end keeps draining into the bowel, the tract stays "fed" and rarely closes with antibiotics or creams alone. Typical signs are recurrent discharge of pus or fluid, a recurring boil-like swelling, itching, and intermittent pain that eases when it drains.

Chronic discharge can stain uniforms or saris and cause real social anxiety — something we hear often from PCMC's industrial and BPO workforce. The good news: once the tract is correctly mapped, fistulas are very treatable with the right surgery.

Mapping the fistula — the step that decides everything

Choosing surgery before mapping the tract is the most common reason fistulas recur. We assess the internal opening, the path of the tract, how much sphincter muscle it crosses, and whether there are secondary branches. Simple low fistulas often need only clinical examination; complex, high, or recurrent ones usually benefit from an MRI fistulogram. Prior operative notes from other centres are reviewed carefully rather than ignored — we would rather understand the previous attempt than repeat its mistake. Almost every fistula patient at Sharvari Hospital is imaged before surgery — an MRI fistulogram or a trans-rectal ultrasound; see MRI fistula mapping before surgery.

Treatment spectrum — laser (FiLaC), VAAFT, LIFT and more

Laser (FiLaC): A radial laser fibre seals the tract with controlled energy through a small external wound — sphincter-sparing and suited to selected simpler tracts.

VAAFT (video-assisted): An endoscope provides direct vision inside the tract to find the internal opening and side branches — particularly useful in recurrent or complex disease.

LIFT and advancement flaps: Sphincter-preserving operations for high transsphincteric fistulas where protecting continence is the priority.

Seton: A drainage seton controls sepsis and protects the sphincter, often as a planned first stage before definitive surgery.

Fistulotomy: The most durable option for genuinely low, simple fistulas where minimal muscle is involved.

Keeping recurrence low and protecting continence

The two goals of fistula surgery sometimes pull against each other: cure the tract, but protect the sphincter muscle that controls continence. Cutting too aggressively risks incontinence; being too conservative risks recurrence. Matching the technique to the mapped anatomy — sphincter-preserving methods for high tracts, durable methods for low ones — is how we keep both risks low. Structured follow-up catches any residual tract early, before it becomes a full recurrence.

Insurance and affordability

Fistula surgery is covered by most corporate and retail policies when medical necessity is documented. We are empanelled with 50+ insurers and work daily with the diverse TPAs PCMC employers use. Maharashtra government schemes and private TPAs differ, so bring your card early; our insurance desk verifies empanelment before surgery and explains reimbursement paperwork if cashless is delayed. We do not publish a fixed price online — the right figure depends on the fistula type and the procedure your anatomy needs, and every line is itemised before consent.

How to reach Sharvari Hospital from PCMC

From Pimpri, Chinchwad, or Nigdi, take the Aundh–Ravet–Wakad connectors or the spine-road network toward Vishal Nagar, and aim for Gulmohor Park. Sharvari Hospital is immediately behind the park: SR. NO. 19(P), Pimple Nilakh, Pune 411027. Budget 20–30 minutes depending on chowk traffic; early mornings beat the evening jams. PCMC and Sant Tukaram Nagar metro stations are practical with a short auto for the last mile, and dedicated patient parking is available near the entrance.

Dr. Kundan Kharde — credentials and operating philosophy

Dr. Kundan Kharde is the Director and lead proctology surgeon at Sharvari Hospital, with 19+ years of surgical practice and over 6,000+ proctology and laparoscopic surgeries. Recurrent and complex fistulas are a particular focus — bring operative notes and histopathology from earlier surgeries if you have them. The surgical plan and its trade-offs are explained in plain language before consent.

If your symptoms point elsewhere, see our pages on piles treatment in PCMC and the main Pune fistula treatment guide.

Recurrent or complex fistula near PCMC

Not every fistula is a simple low tract. If your fistula has come back after a previous operation, or you have been told it is high, horseshoe or multi-tract, it needs MRI mapping and a sphincter-preserving plan — not a repeat of the same surgery. Dr. Kundan Kharde takes these referrals at Sharvari Hospital, Pimple Nilakh, roughly 20–30 minutes from central Pimpri, Chinchwad and Nigdi. Read about complex and recurrent fistula treatment in Pune.