Modern management of anal fistula

Table 2 Published studies on anal fistula plug

Ref.	Type of study	No. Patients	Success rate	Follow-up (mo)
Johnson et al[41]	Prospective	15	87%	7
	Non-randomized
	Controlled trial
Champagne et al[44]	Prospective	46	83%	12
O’Connor et al[45]	Prospective	20 (Crohn’s)	80%	10
Van Koperen et al[46]	Prospective	17	42%	7
Ellis[47]	Retrospective	18 (5 rectovaginal)	88%	6
Lawes et al[48]	Retrospective	17 plug	66%	7.4
		3 pug+flap
Ky et al[49]	Prospective	44 plug+flap	54.6%	6.5
Schwandner et al[50]	Prospective	19 (7 Crohn’s)	61% overall	9
			45.5% cryptoglandular
			85.7% Crohn’s
Garg[51]	Prospective	21	71%	10
Christoforidis et al[52]	Retrospective	47	43%	6.5
Thekkinkattil et al[53]	Prospective	43	44%	11
Safar et al[54]	Retrospective	35	14%	4
Ortiz et al[55]	Prospective Randomized trial	31 cryptoglandular: -15 plug -16 endorectal-advancement flap (EAF)	20% (plug group) 87.5% (EAF)	12
El-Gazzaz et al[56]	Retrospective	33	25%	7.4
Chan et al[57]	Prospective	44	50%	10.5
Cintron et al[58]	Prospective	73	42.5%	15