Laser Assisted Treatment of Fistula In Ano

Fistula in Ano Clinical Trial

— LATFIA  

Official title:

LATFIA-trial: Laser Assisted Treatment of Fistula In Ano Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing FiLaCTM to Rectal Advancement Flap

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05390151
• Other study ID #: 000202
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 1, 2022
• Est. completion date: March 1, 2026

Study information

• Verified date: March 2022
• Source: University Hospital, Antwerp
• Contact: Sander Van Hoof, M.D.
• Phone: +3238212434
• Email: sander.vanhoof[@]uza.be
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Randomised Controlled Trial comparing Laser assisted closure of transsphincteric fistula to the rectal advancement flap.

Description:

A prevalent and complex fistula type is the high transsphincteric (TS) fistula. It typically runs through the upper two-thirds of the external anal sphincter (EAS) and is, due to the high risk of fecal incontinence, not suitable for fistulotomy and sphincter sparing treatment is required. To be included in this trial the participants should have a single, continuous TS fistula of cryptoglandular origin, that is treated by loose seton drainage for at least 2 months and is mapped by MRI. Participants with IBD, hidradenitis suppurativa or a malignant fistula will be excluded. Intervention Fistula Laser Closing (FiLaCTM) (Biolitec, Germany) is an endofistular technique, using a radial-emitting laser fiber that emits laser light with a maximum penetration depth of 2 - 3 mm. It destroys both the crypt gland and the additional epithelial layer of the fistula without damaging the sphincter. The fiber is inserted until the internal opening, activated and pulled backwards slowly, allowing the laser to have its effect. The external opening is excised and the internal opening is closed with a single absorbable suture. Rectal advancement flap is currently the gold standard for sphincter sparing treatment of high transsphincteric fistulae. The fistula is cored out and an advancement flap is made of mucosa and submucosa. The opening of the fistula in the flap is excised, the residual internal opening is closed with absorbable suture and the flap is sutured below the fistula to the anoderm. The advancement flap is a difficult technique that requires a relatively large transanal dissection that results in postoperative pain and may lead to disturbances in continence. Preliminary results with the Filac technique show fistula healing rates comparable to the advancement flap. Due to its simplicity, speed and minimal invasiveness the investigators expect a benefit for the participants in terms of postoperative pain, operating time and quality of life.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 176
• Est. completion date: March 1, 2026
• Est. primary completion date: September 1, 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with fistula involving more than one-third of the external anal sphincter
• Single, continuous fistula tract at time of inclusion
• Loose seton present in fistula tract for 2 months or more at time of inclusion
• Age = 18
• Able to complete an informed written consent, understand its implications and contents, and participate in follow-up

Exclusion Criteria:

• Fistula tract < 1 cm
• Complex fistula tract system (branching of fistula tract inside the sphincter complex)
• Pregnancy
• HIV-positive
• Crohn´s disease, Ulcerative colitis
• Fistula due to malignancy
• Tuberculosis
• Hidradenitis Suppurativa
• No internal opening
• Unable to undergo or contraindications to MRI

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Fistula
• Fistula in Ano
• Rectal Fistula

Intervention

Procedure:
• Laser treatment of anal fistula
using a radial laserprobe to treat transsphincteric fistula
• RAF
current golden standard in transsphincteric fistula surgery

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Belgium	Brussels University Hospital	Brussels
Belgium	Antwerp University Hospital	Edegem	Antwerpen
Belgium	Az St Dimpna Geel	Geel	Antwerpen
Belgium	Gent University Hospital	Gent	Oost- Vlaanderen
Belgium	Jessa Ziekenhuis Hasselt	Hasselt	Limburg

Sponsors (5)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University Hospital, Antwerp	AZ St.-Dimpna Geel, Jessa Hospital, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, University Hospital, Ghent

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Belgium, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Primary fistula closure after index laser or flap treatment	Success rate (number of patients) of laser/flap treatment defined as full healing (fistula closure) after the index procedure	6 months
Secondary	Secondary Fistula closure	Secondary success rate (number of patients) defined as full healing (fistula closure) after a second procedure (either rectal advancement flap, laser treatment, fistulotomy)	6 months
Secondary	Postoperative Pain	Reported pain after laser or flap treatment: measured using the visual analog scale - VAS where 0 = no pain; 10 = worst pain imaginable,	6 months
Secondary	Postoperative fecal incontinence	Reported fecal incontinence after laser or flap treatment: measured using the Vaizey score where minimum score 0 = perfect continence; maximum score 24 = totally incontinent)	6 months
Secondary	Postoperative wound complications	Reported wound complications after laser or flap treatment defined as wound dehiscence or bleeding as reported on the adverse event forms	6 months
Secondary	Postoperative Quality of Life	General postoperative well being and ability to partake in daily life and daily tasks (specific role functioning) measured and scored using the SF 36 questionnaire (consisting of 8 weighted scales: vitality, physical functioning, bodily pain, general health perceptions, physical role functioning, emotional role functioning, social role, functioning, and mental health. The lower the score the more disability. The higher the score the less disability); This outcome is measured in all participants after the initial procedure (index flap or laser treatment) as well as after a second procedure (in case of recurrence)	6 months
Secondary	Primary Recurrence	Number of participants presenting with a clinical recurrence or residual fistula after initial and laser/flap treatment (index procedure)	6 months
Secondary	Secondary Recurrence	Number of participants presenting with a clinical recurrence or residual fistula after the second procedure (Laser - Flap - Fistulotomy - Ligation of the fistula tract, video-assisted fistula treatment)	12 months
Secondary	Identify predictive factors for clinical fistula healing to determine the treatment indications.	This outcome evaluates the correlations between patients'/ fistula's clinical characteristics and primary healing rates	6 months