Objective:To investigate the effects of video-assisted anal fistula treatment (VAAFT) on stress indicators and anal function in patients with anal fistula.Methods:Ninety-nine patients with anal fistula who received treatment in Lishui City People's Hospital from March 2020 to February 2022 were included in this study. They were randomly divided into a control group ( n = 48, undergoing fistulotomy) and an observation group ( n = 51, undergoing VAAFT). Clinical efficacy and the levels of various indexes during the perioperative period were compared between the two groups. Anal function [anal maximal contraction pressure, anal canal rest pressure, anal longest contraction time, anal incontinence Wexner score], and the levels of serum stress indicators [norepinephrine (NE), β-endorphin (β-EP), nerve growth factor (NGF), substance P (SP), and cortisol (Cor)] were determined before and after treatment. Postoperative complications were recorded. All patients were followed up for 3 months after surgery. Recurrence of anal fistula was compared between the two groups. Results:The total effective rate in the observation group was 94.12% (48/51), which was significantly higher than 79.17% (38/48) in the control group ( χ2 = 4.84, P < 0.05). The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, wound healing time, and length of hospital stay in the observation group were (34.78 ± 4.01) minutes, (34.48 ± 3.86) mL, (19.46 ± 2.05) days, and (12.76 ± 1.50) days, which were significantly shorter or less than those in the control group [(54.86 ± 6.05) minutes, (36.88 ± 4.01) mL, (25.61 ± 2.92) days, (21.05 ± 2.46) days, t = -19.57, -3.03, -12.18, -20.67, all P < 0.05). On the first day after surgery, the Visual Analogue Scale score in the observation was (1.88 ± 0.28) points, which was significantly lower than (3.55 ± 0.41) points in the control group ( t = -23.78, P < 0.05). At 3 months after surgery, anal maximal contraction pressure and Wexner scores in the observation group were (171.86 ± 18.68) mmHg and (0.39 ± 0.07) points, which were significantly lower than (180.37 ± 19.56) mmHg and (0.52 ± 0.09) points in the control group ( t = -2.21, -8.04, both P < 0.05). Anal canal rest pressure in the observation group was (50.77 ± 5.68) mmHg, which was significantly higher than (48.34 ± 5.23) mmHg in the control group ( t = 2.21, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in anal longest contraction time between the two groups before and after treatment (both P > 0.05). At 3 days after surgery, NE and Cor levels in each group increased compared with those before surgery (both P < 0.05). At 3 days after surgery, NE and Cor levels in the observation group were (252.67 ± 29.16) μg/L and (281.34 ± 31.27) nmol/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than (304.03 ± 32.28) μg/L and (308.72 ± 34.18) nmol/L in the control group ( t = -8.31, -4.16, both P < 0.05). At 3 days after surgery, β-EP, SP, and NGF in each group were decreased compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.05). At 3 days after surgery, β-EP, SP, and NGF in the observation group were (62.37 ± 6.83) ng/L, (1.87 ± 0.23) ng/L, (30.82 ± 4.03) mg/L], respectively, which were significantly higher than (51.09 ± 5.74) ng/L, (2.59 ± 0.51) ng/L, and (38.19 ± 4.24) mg/L in the control group ( t = 8.86, 8.95, 8.85, all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups ( P > 0.05). The recurrence of anal fistula in the observation group was 1.96% (1/51), which was significantly lower than 12.50% (6/48) in the control group ( χ2 = 4.18, P < 0.05). Conclusion:VAAFT exhibits a significant therapeutic effect on anal fistula, with a small surgical incision and minimal intraoperative bleeding. This procedure greatly shortens operative time and the length of hospital stay, alleviates postoperative pain, improves anal function, reduces postoperative stress response indicators, and has a low postoperative recurrence rate.