Cutting Edge | How to cure fistula permanently?

Pune colo-rectal surgeon Dr Ashwin Porwal has developed the minimally invasive DLPL technique to treat complex fistulas

4 min readPuneOct 18, 2022 05:56 PM IST

DLPL being performed under the guidance of 3D EndoAnal Imaging in real time.

For 12 long years, US-based Julie Rogers suffered from a Grade 5 super complex fistula. Her personal health challenges made her seek a series of treatments that unfortunately did not offer long-term relief. She had no idea what to expect though when she arrived in Pune in July where Dr Ashwin Porwal and his team’s “healing hands” performed the Distal Laser Proximal Ligation (DSPL) procedure and freed her from pain.

There are various kinds of fistula and Dr Porwal’s patients vouch for a cent per cent cure. Take for instance Pune’s Dr Saloni Joshi who developed an obstetric fistula – a hole between the birth canal and bladder and/or rectum caused by prolonged obstructed labour – but was cured completely.

WHAT IS A COMPLEX FISTULA?

An anal fistula is a small tunnel that develops between the end of the bowel and the skin near the anus. “Fistula-in-ano is one of the most commonly encountered surgical problems with the prevalence of average 2/10,000,” says Dr Porwal, founder of Healing Hands Clinic in Pune and a noted colorectal surgeon who specifically designed the Distal Laser Proximal ligation procedure for highly complex anal fistulas.

The condition has been known since ages and different management techniques for it have been suggested in medical literature. But it continues to be one of the most challenging clinical problems in anorectal surgery.

Various surgical interventions have had variable success. The surgical management of complex fistula is usually aimed at the permanent elimination of the suppurative process by drainage of sepsis and removal of fistula tracts while maintaining sphincter integrity.

Recently, the Indian Journal of Colo-Rectal surgery has concluded that minimally invasive, sphincter-saving DLPL surgery is safe and effective treatment for complex fistula‐in‐ano. “This is a minimally invasive sphincter saving surgery for complex fistulas. Basically it addresses the intersphincteric space which is the root cause of complex fistula,” says Dr Porwal, who has performed 4,661 such surgeries till date. In Julie’s case, an inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease) led to the fistula developing between one loop of intestine and another.

WHAT IS THE DLPL SURGERY?

Dr Porwal explains that the DLPL is based on two principles. One is debridement, which is a procedure for treating the wound on the skin. Inefficient debridement is one of the causes of recurrence in fistula. This is achieved in a minimally invasive way by using a laser, which takes care of the fibrosis associated with complex fistulas. The debridement is thorough and deep with the use of a laser, which can be easily negotiated within the Intersphincteric space and supralevator space.

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“The other principle is the efficient drainage from the fistula in the first two to three weeks which is the key to success in curing it after surgery,” he says.

DLPL is performed under the guidance of a 3D EndoAnal Imagine machine which can identify hidden fistula tracts and micro abscess in real time during surgery. That is the key in getting assured results with surgery. It also minimises the risk of damage to sphincter muscles.

Widening of the external opening serves that purpose while superficial incision over the internal opening helps in proper drainage in the initial three weeks after surgery. This is achieved by timely follow-up planned at five days, two weeks, four weeks and six weeks. “That is the reason why DLPL is associated with a negligible recurrence rate,” Dr Porwal says.

There is no need for daily dressing with DLPL and the patient can resume work in about five days. There is also no risk of incontinence as sphincter muscles are not incised, says Dr Porwal, who has trained over 250 surgeons in the country and worldwide.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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