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Children's health

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Original poster

Perianal Abscess

49 replies

AliSxo · 26/08/2021 19:14

Hi, my son is 8mo and a few weeks ago during nappy change I noticed a small little spot by his anus, rang GP who said it was concentrated nappy rash after I sent a photo, said sudocrem should sort it. Of course it didn't and he still has it only one has appeared on the other side now and although that never has a head on it, it seems to be more under the surface. The original spot seems to head a head, it'll drain and then refill. We have had a week of acidic cream that was prescribed but told to call back after a week if it hadn't resolved which it hasn't. My googling makes me think this is a perianal abscess, has anyone else experienced this? Xx

OP posts:

Ljhbaby · 17/04/2022 19:59

@Simer my little boy is nearly 8 months old. His abscess only required abx the very 1st time he had one at just 10 days old and since then they have always self resolved so that’s why I am reluctant.

The plan is to lay open but they didn’t say much about recovery time. I also worry that this won’t resolve issue as they are cutting the 2 o’clock position yet the latest flare up was the 8 o clock position!

They said it almost certainly resolves the issue. He is on the waiting list at bham childrens so probably a couple of months.

Hope your holding up ok such a worry isn’t it.

Simer · 20/04/2022 21:10

@Ljhbaby we are days away from surgery now. Its on Monday! Still don't know what to expect on the day.. First hurdle will be nbm! Any information you can pass on will be great to prepare myself as I'll be attending alone with him thanks to covid. My surgeon seemed confident too about the success rate.

we all will get through this just fine! Need to stay strong and positive for our children! Will keep you posted. Look after yourself xx

BlackSwan · 27/04/2022 20:59

How was the surgery Simer? I hope it went well & that recovery is smooth as it can be.

Ash09876 · 27/04/2022 21:43

Hope the operation went well. Xx
my son is now 6 months and his abscess doesn’t seem to be going. Should be getting a follow up appointment soon.. if it doesn’t resolve I suppose that will be surgery? The doctor was hoping it will be gone by the time he’s one! But I’m not so sure it will tbh xx

Simer · 06/05/2022 21:04

Hi ladies. Thanks for your concern. Surgery had to be postponed to coming Monday as we all got a nasty tummy bug I presume my older son got from a birthday party. Had our covid swabs this morning. Been asked to fast my baby for 3 hours and only give him clear fluids until surgery in the morning. Not sure how we will manage that.. I really don't know what to expect really bricking it.. but trying hard to think positive. Pray for us please!! Xx

BlackSwan · 08/05/2022 19:58

Well good luck for tomorrow - a shame you had to wait longer, only prolonging the anxiety! Deep breath.

Simer · 11/05/2022 17:43

Hi ladies

My little one had his surgery on Monday. Went in at 7.30 am nbm since 4.30 am and wasn't allowed to have milk until after surgery at 11.30!! That was the hardest part but somehow we made it. I kept him distracted with toys and he was allowed water. It wasn't easy the whole of it..GA, the cannula, parting from him as they took him to theatre. Apparently he was given coding, calpol and caudal inj too whilst in there. Of the 2 areas they found one to be a healed abcess which I thought was still active and find hard to believe and the other one a fistula which they operated on.. now left an open wound.. like a bit gross with pus every now and again. But he's on calpol every few hours and seems a bit sleepy and still on edge since surgery. But it's only day 2
He's going to be doing salt baths and review in 2 months. That's my update. All I can say is I'm hoping the smaller abscess is defo gone and the main one heals well. We've come out stronger and it's behind us. Good luck ladies.

Ljhbaby · 11/05/2022 19:25

How is he with the salt baths? I’m glad you feel you have come out stronger and sounds as though the surgery was a success. I wish him speedy and pain free recovery. Sending you lots of hugs

Simer · 16/05/2022 16:46

Thanks hun @Ljhbaby . He actually enjoys his salt baths. So early days as the wound is still healing. Got our follow up in 2 months. Hope you and your LO are doing well? It definitely made us both stronger and will do the same to yourselves. Wishing you best of luck with it. Hugs xxx

Ash09876 · 07/06/2022 11:33

Due to a flare up a few weeks back , my son has a hospital appointment on the 14th, the abscess has also moved in his bum hole. So I’m not sure what’s going to happen next. X

Ljhbaby · 27/06/2022 07:59

Hi @Ash09876 how did the appointment go? I hope your son is ok x

Ljhbaby · 27/06/2022 08:00

@Simer how is your son getting on hope he is healing ok

Ash09876 · 29/06/2022 12:46

Unfortunately it was a phone call appointment. She wants to see him face to face in 6 weeks. So I will know more then. Hope your little one is okay x

bigsweetpotato2 · 20/10/2022 07:46

Hi all
Found this thread and not sure if it's still active but looking for some advice.
My boy is 16 weeks and has had a boil next to his bum hole for over a month. It has come to a head and popped about 5 times. Every time it pops he gets very upset and it's very stressful. It's now just red but won't go away and I'm dreading seeing it come to a head... last week he got another smaller one next to the original spot which popped quite quick but there is a lump still.
We've been to the drs a few times - got antibiotics the second time (which we struggled to get him to take and had to put it in his milk and they didn't seem to have any effect) and some antibiotic cream another time which also hasn't worked. I think it is a perianal abscess but the drs seem to write off as a boil and that it will resolve itself. The last dr we saw when the second boil appeared, just said to use barrier cream to prevent friction and clean with water and cotton wool rather than wipes.

If it gets worse then I will go back to the drs but wondering if you guys have any advice? Has anyone's abscess resolved itself without surgery? How do you keep it clean? Do you use barrier cream? It doesn't help that my boy poos about 6 times a day... he's also started crying a lot after poos which is heartbreaking and very stressful.

One of the drs said he would make a referral to paediatrician but still waiting to see if that goes through. Tempted to go private to get some advice from a dr that has seen this before.
Any advice appreciated. Thanks

BlackSwan · 20/10/2022 12:55

My son was 5 when his abscess came up... it turned out to be a fistula in any event. I would demand a referral to a hospital for further investigation and advice. It's very stressful and uncomfortable - little point in waiting. It may be that you investigate & the dr's advice is to wait, but best to speak with someone who speciliases in this area rather than rely on a GP with limited knowledge/experience.
If you are looking to go private & on the off chance you're in London, I would certainly recommend the surgeon my son saw at Great Ormond St: Mr Curry

Ash09876 · 20/10/2022 22:23

My child is 11 months still has a fistula that hasn’t been operated on. He’s just been having check ups with the hospital . They should be phoning me in a month or so. When will they operate? It doesn’t seem to be going xx

Ash09876 · 29/12/2022 22:20

How’s everyone else’s children? Has it all settled? My son is over a year old now. Got a telephone appointment next month. He got diagnosed with a anus fistula last time.It doesn’t seem to have a head no more so it doesn’t puss. Just a hard lump that sometimes big and other times small. I haven’t got a clue. What the hospital will do next? Everyone else experienced this?

Ljhbaby · 30/12/2022 19:29

My little ones is similar although it rarely come to a head which goes within 24 hours. I was last told it was a fistula but on the other side which now flares up. Never causes him pain though.

Ash09876 · 30/12/2022 22:52

Have they said what they are going to do about it?

Ljhbaby · 31/12/2022 08:37

He’s still on the waiting list for surgery and havn’t had any contact since approx April time.

we are in two minds whether to go ahead with surgery as it doesn’t bother him and only flares up time to time.

my husband is really against surgery yet I would hate him to have it much older when he knows what’s going on 😞 we will make a decision when given a date

Ljhbaby · 16/05/2023 21:53

@Simer @Ash09876
hows everyone’s little one getting on?

coming back to this thread as we were only discharged from the childrens 6 weeks ago as my boy hasn’t had a flare up for 5 months and his bum was ‘perfect’ … cue the most awful nappy rash and up pops his dreaded abscess ! So whole day on Sunday was spent at my local hospital and then a trip to the childrens followed.

they were very keen to operate but I was reluctant so abx were prescribed .. 3 days in and the only thing is his nappy rash has improved yet the abcess is still present.

I think we now need to face facts and decide on surgery .. @Simer how was the recovery ?
They think it may be a fistula so will need to ‘lay open’

thank you in advance

BlackSwan · 19/05/2023 18:54

@Ljhbaby that's so disappointing. My son had to have his fistula laid open also. It has been about 7-8 years though and touch would no recurrence.
He was about 5-6 at the time.

Eleano · 25/06/2024 08:34

Jumping onto this thread in hope someone can help me.

My DS who is 6 weeks old had his fistula laid open 10 days ago.

Question to those of you with experience of the same op - what did recovery look like for your DC?

I'm asking because from day 2 post op he had puss coming out and the surgeons were happy saying it's expected but now we're day 10 post op and he still gets little concentrations of puss that gather into a small whitehead and then pop.

He's on antibiotics to ensure that puss doesn't cause an infection but tomorrow his course ends.

I'm desperate to avoid a second operation since there were serious complications with the first one unrelated to the abscess or the fistula. The complications were resolved and in future surgeons will know his medical history to avoid a repeat but the state of my nerves if he has to be operated on again won't be good to say the least.

BlackSwan · 27/06/2024 06:49

Hi Eleano, sorry to read your post. I don't want to worry you more but when my son's fistula was laid open as I recall there wasn't any pus forming as you explain. But it doesn't really make sense to me because the incision was so deep on my son (he was about 5) that there wouldn't have been anywhere for a head to form. It wasn't all plain sailing with us as he initially had what was thought to be an abscess operated on, but that did just come back as before. It was after this that they determined it was a complex fistula and needed the laying open.

Additionally my son didn't have antibiotics. I remember particularly because I was astonished that the surgeon said it wasn't necessary. He said that oddly even if there's fecal matter on the incision, it doesn't get infected. Of course I made sure to flush the area as soon as he did a poo and he had sitz baths.

I really feel for you as I know how truly horrible this whole thing is. It must be very worrying with a baby so young. I really hope you can avoid further intervention. If it's of any help happy to recommend my son's surgeon if you're in London. x

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