treatment firmly rooted in the anatomic design of the anal canal. The potential for disastrous complications is real. Careful, thorough, and meticulous care in the diagnosis and treatment of fistulous abscesses will result in successful outcomes in most cases. Perirectal and perianal abscess are commonly encountered problems in surgical practice. Timely and appropriate treatment is needed to prevent serious morbidity and mortality. Differentiation of the more complex perirectal abscess from the perianal