Outpatient treatment of haemorrhoids with bipolar diathermy coagulation

ABSTRACT

A prospective study to assess the results following the bipolar diathermy coagulation for treatment of haemorrhoids was carried out in Kasr El Aini Hospital as an outpatient procedure. 52 patients complaining of 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree [19, 22 and 11 cases respectively] were subjected to one or two sittings of the bipolar diathermy coagulation All 4th degree cases, external hacmorrhoids or patients associated with any other pathology were excluded. 31 cases were males and 21 were females [ratio 1.5 1]. Age of the patients ranged from 17 to 78 years with a mean 42 years. Follow up for the cases was done up to one year. Bleeding was the commonest presentation [46 cases, 88%] followed by discharge [22 cases, 42%]. 44 patients were relieved from their symptoms, 32 patients after one sitting and 12 after two sittings. The remaining 8 cases failed to achieve relief after 2 sittings of treatment and required formal haemorrhoidectomy. All the failed cases were of the third degree. Bipolar diathermy is a painless method to treat early- haemorrhoids [1st and 2nd degrees], easy to do, safe and with no need for hospital stay. Also it is likely to be less expensive and so it is to be recommended