Perianal Fistula Studies
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Studies in the aetiology and investigation perianal fistula
IRAS ID
136873
Contact name
Charles Knowles
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Research summary
A perianal fistula is an abnormal connection between the inside of the anal canal and the nearby skin. This common distressing disease causes pain, discharge and social embarrassment with some unfortunate patients eventually needing a stoma to relieve their symptoms. A fistula can arise spontaneously in otherwise well people (termed idiopathic) or as part of other diseases, of which the most common is a form of inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn’s disease.
Most idiopathic fistulas respond very well to fairly basic surgery whereas most Crohn’s-related fistulas fail to heal despite multiple operations. However some patients with apparently idiopathic fistulas have complex disease which fails to heal, suggesting that they might actually have a disease biology that is more similar to Crohn’s.
At the National Centre for Bowel Research and Surgical Innovation (NCBRSI), we will test this hypothesis using a series of advanced laboratory techniques to characterize immune and healing processes in tissue derived from fistula surgery on 66 consecutive NHS patients with simple and complex anal fistulas (including idiopathic and Crohn’s cases). The research will also include development of a new patient-reported symptom scoring system and a new MRI scanning technique.
This research could lead to new ways of treating some patients with complex idiopathic anal fistula disease.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0071
Date of REC Opinion
14 Mar 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion