Conditions

  • Anal Abcess

    An anal abscess is a collection of pus that develops in the tissues around the anus. An anal abscess occurs when bacteria lodge in the small glands that are normally present between the inner and outer layers of the anal sphincter muscle. The collection of bacteria causes inflammation and infection of the glands, resulting in an...  Read More

  • Anal Pain

    There are various anal conditions that may cause anal pain. These include anal warts, skin tags, haemorrhoids, fissure, fistula, anal cancer, Bowen's disease and generalised skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis which may also affect the perianal skin. We suggest an appointment be made with a surgeon to do a full...  Read More

  • Bowel Cancer

    Bowel cancer has become the most frequently occurring cancer (other than skin) in Australia.  One Australian in 12 is at risk of developing bowel cancer if it is not prevented.  In males, it is the second most common cancer (after prostate cancer) and, in women, it is the second most common cancer (after breast cancer)....  Read More

  • Constipation

    Constipation is a very common condition with slightly varied symptoms and may mean different things to different people. What is Constipation? Typically, constipation presents as difficulty with passing firm to hard stools, but may also present as the infrequent passing of normal stools.  It is not necessarily that one does not...  Read More

  • Crohn's Disease

    Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis are inflammatory bowel diseases that affect more than 61,000 Australians. What is Crohn's disease?  Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes full thickness inflammation of the bowel wall and may involve any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.  Most ...  Read More

  • Diverticulitis

    Diverticular disease is a very common condition in the Western World.  It is not really a "disease" and a better term for the condition is diverticulosis.  What is it? Diverticulosis consists of small pockets or protrusions of the lining of the large bowel wall through the muscular layer of the bowel and they appear on the...  Read More

  • Fissure

    An anal fissure is usually caused by constipation and straining, resulting in a tear of the skin lining the (lower) anal canal.  It is an extremely painful condition, and is usually encountered in young and middle-aged adults.  What is it? The anal canal is surrounded by two sphincter muscles for continence.  The...  Read More

  • Fistula

    An anal fistula is a communication or tunnel between the internal lining of the anal canal and the skin outside the anus. What is a fistula? A fistula is an abnormal track or tunnel between the inner and outer lining of the anus that may develop after spontaneous or surgical drainage of an abscess.  Discharge of pus may be...  Read More

  • Haemorrhoids

    Haemorrhoids are often describes as "varicose veins" of the anal canal; this is incorrect.  What are haemorrhoids? Haemorrhoids are engorged blood vessels covered by the lining of the lower rectum just above the anal canal.  As a haemorrhoid enlarges, it bulges into the anal canal and may eventually protrude at the edge of...  Read More

  • Hernia

    What is a hernia? A hernia is a weakness or hole in the stomach muscle wall through which stomach contents protrude causing a bulge. The protruding contents push out a pocket of the abdominal lining or peritoneum through the weakness forming the hernia. Why do they occur? There are areas of weakness in the muscle of the abdominal...  Read More