What Is Cryptitis?
Cryptitis is the inflammation of the anal crypts, which are small cavities located in the anal mucous membrane. They generally host mucus-producing glands, required for the displacement and eviction of faeces. If such a gland suffers an inflammation process, the whole area can become an abscess.
Causes of Cryptitis
Constipation and diarrhea traumatize the crypts with faeces, the inflammatory process becomes acute and cryptitis develops. Because of the precarious drainage from the crypts, of the repeated reinfection and chronic traumatization of the mucous membrane, the inflammatory processes in the affected crypt become chronic leading to complications: proctitis, paraproctitis, anal fissures, papillitis…(some authors associate colon cancer to chronic cryptitis).
What Are The Symptoms of Cryptitis?
The symptoms of cryptitis depend upon the spreading of the process, on how acute it is and on the patient’s general condition. Patient may accuse a sensation of heaviness and tension in the ano-perianal area, the pain ranging from mild to sharp. The pain becomes acute during defecation – which causes patients to avoid stools, thus leading to an aggravation of the inflammation and to suppurations.
How Is Anal Cryptitis Treated?
The treatment of cryptitis without complications is conservative. In the case of advanced stages, with complications (paraproctitis, blind fistula) surgical treatment is indicated.
The diagnosis must be set by an experienced proctologist, with surgical training, just like Laurus Medical network specialists, in order to prevent severe complications that can go up to abscission and sepsis.
