Can you hold back bowel movements after anal fistula surgery?

After anal fistula surgery, it is not advisable to hold in bowel movements. Anal fistula surgery is a common procedure for anorectal diseases, and patients usually recover anal function quickly, allowing normal defecation. Maintaining smooth bowel movements is very important after surgery. Deliberately holding in stool may cause prolonged retention in the intestines, leading to excessive water absorption, hardening of the stool, increased difficulty in defecation, and even potential damage to the healing wound, raising the risk of infection. After anal fistula surgery, patients should strive to maintain regular and unobstructed bowel movements and avoid suppressing the urge to defecate. If constipation or difficulty defecating occurs, stool softeners such as oral lactulose solution may be used under medical guidance, or dietary adjustments can be made by consuming more high-fiber foods like vegetables and fruits to promote intestinal motility and smoother bowel movements. It is also important to maintain cleanliness of the anus and surgical wound to prevent infection.