Is perianal sepsis adequately managed? The results of a five year audit at Royal Naval Hospital Haslar.

A retrospective audit and postal questionnaire of 148 patients presenting with perianal sepsis confirms that the isolation of gut-related organisms remains a sensitive indicator of a perianal fistula. It did not confirm that the use of microbiological results affects the long term outcome for these patients. It suggests that early examination under anaesthetic and laying open of a fistula may not be necessary in all patients in which gut-related organisms are identified. There was no statistical difference in recurrence rates of perianal sepsis between those operated on by senior or junior surgeons, though there may have been selection bias in these patients.