How long does sphincter muscle surgery take?

A routine surgery for sphincter muscle surgery takes approximately an hour to complete. The patient receives an enema about an hour before the procedure begins to ensure the lower area of the bowel is empty, explains the Birmingham Bowel Clinic.

The patient receives a general anesthetic for the surgery. The initial cut occurs in the tissue around the anus, according to the Birmingham Bowel Clinic. After identifying the damaged muscle, the surgeon frees the area of any scar tissue. When the healthy muscle emerges, the doctor overlaps it and inserts stitches to hold it in place for healing. The stitches are dissolvable.