A 30-year-old female patient presents with a complaint of re…
A 30-year-old female patient presents with a complaint of rectal pain that has been going on for about a week. She says she has lost 4 pounds (2 kg) over the past four weeks, has a low-grade fever, and has noticed a foul discharge in her undergarments. She also complains of vague abdominal pain and anorexia. The patient has no significant PMH. She has no allergies. She has never had surgery before. A physical exam reveals a visibly distressed female with tenderness in the anal area. Examination is performed under anesthesia and reveals multiple fistulous tracts just above the dentate line. She has frank pus extruding in the anal canal. Which of the following statements about this condition is true?