Lateral subcutaneous sphincterotomy for treatment of anal fissure in children.

Twenty-three children, aged between 8 and 168 months, underwent lateral subcutaneous sphincterotomy. All fissures healed by 8 weeks after operation. Two children had recurrent proctalgia and defaecating difficulties after surgery despite a healed fissure. Requirement for stool softener was reduced or abolished in 17 children. The parent-child satisfaction score after operation was more than 70 per cent in 19 of 23 cases. Lateral subcutaneous sphincterotomy is an effective procedure in children.