Doppler-guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation: long-term outcome and patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: Conventional Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy is associated with significant pain and potentially hazardous complications. Doppler-Guided Haemorrhoidal Artery Ligation (DGHAL) may offer a lower risk, pain-free alternative. We present our early and long-term outcome experience with DGHAL, combined with patient views and satisfaction with the procedure. METHOD: One hundred and thirteen DGHALs were performed over a 13 month period by two surgeons in a single centre. Patients graded the severity of postoperative pain on visual-analogue scales. Clinical follow-up was at 6 weeks (n = 103), with long-term follow-up (n = 90) by postal questionnaire at median of 30 months. RESULTS: Seven out of one hundred and three (6%) patients reported postoperative discomfort requiring analgesia. Ninety-three out of one hundred and three (90%) patients reported complete relief or significant improvement in their symptoms at 6 weeks, dropping to 77/90 (86%) at 30 months. Anal fissures developed in 2/103 (2%) patients, both treated with Diltiazem ointment. Further surgery was required in 8/90 (9%) patients. Eighty-two out of ninety (91%) patients said they would undergo DGHAL again. CONCLUSION: DGHAL is a relatively painless, safe, and effective procedure for symptomatic stage I-III haemorrhoids, for which we have demonstrated long-term durability and acceptability. Its role lies between office based procedures and more invasive operative interventions.

Randomized clinical trial of stapled haemorrhoidopexy versus conventional diathermy haemorrhoidectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the results of stapled haemorrhoidopexy (commonly called stapled haemorrhoidectomy) with those of conventional diathermy haemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: Fifty-five patients with symptomatic third- and fourth-degree haemorrhoids were randomized to either stapled haemorrhoidopexy (n = 27) or conventional diathermy haemorrhoid ectomy (n = 28). Operating time, postoperative pain, time to return to work, postoperative complications and effectiveness of haemorrhoidal symptom control were recorded. The mean follow-up was 15.9 months in the stapled haemorrhoidopexy group and 15.2 months in the conventional haemorrhoidectomy group. RESULTS: Mean pain intensity was significantly less in the stapled group (P = 0.001). There were no significant differences in the total number of complications, the length of absence from work or control of symptoms. Seven patients in the stapled group re-presented with prolapse compared with none in the conventional haemorrhoidectomy group (P = 0.004). This difference was also observed in the subset of patients with fourth-degree haemorrhoids (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The stapled operation was significantly less painful than conventional haemorrhoidectomy. However, the rate of recurrent prolapse was higher after stapled haemorrhoidopexy than after conventional diathermy haemorrhoidectomy.

Prospective randomized multicentre trial comparing stapled with open haemorrhoidectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the results of conventional open haemorrhoidectomy as currently practised in Italy (group 1) with stapled haemorrhoidectomy using a 33-mm circular stapling device (group 2). METHODS: One hundred patients with symptomatic third- and fourth-degree haemorrhoids were enrolled by five hospitals. Patients were allocated to the two groups according to a centralized randomization scheme featuring five permutated blocks of 20. Preoperative clinical examination and anorectal manometry demonstrated no features of anal incontinence. Patients had a clinical and manometric re-evaluation after operation and were asked to complete a clinical diary. After a median of 16 (range 8-19) months patients were administered a standardized questionnaire by telephone. RESULTS: Postoperative bleeding requiring haemostatic procedures occurred in three patients in each group. Patients in group 1 complained of moderate pain for a median of 5.3 (range 0-19) days compared with 3.1 (range 0-10) days in group 2 (P = 0.01), while severe pain was present for 2.3 (range 0-24) days in group 1 but only for 1 (range 0-14) day in group 2 (P = 0.03). The median hospital stay was 2 days in group 1 compared with 1 day in group 2 (P = 0.01). In the early days after operation, patients in group 2 had greater difficulty in maintaining normal continence to liquid stools (P = 0.01), but after 30 days the continence score was better in group 2 (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Stapled haemorrhoidectomy is as effective as conventional haemorrhoidectomy. Reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay and a trend toward earlier return to work suggest short-term advantages for the stapled technique.

Open haemorrhoidectomy revisited.

The open method of haemorrhoidectomy has been criticized because of slow wound healing, severe pain and prolonged post operative care. This has led to a shift of interest to other methods of haemorrhoidectomy. These grounds of criticism need to be re-appraised for a rational conclusion and recommendation. Thirty nine consecutive patients who had open haemorrhoidectomy between 2nd and 3rd degree haemorrhoids from May, 1998 to April, 1999 were prospectively assessed for wound healing rate and complication rate. There were 26 males and 13 females (ratio 2:1). The average length of hospital stay was 3 days. Post operative pain and acute retention of urine were the commonest complications. The mean wound healing rate was 5 weeks, with a peak (30.8%) in the 5th post operative week. The mean cost of management was thirty eight U.S. Dollars ($38.00) or four thousand, five hundred and ninety three Naira. (N4,593.00). Open haemorrhoidectomy remains a safe and simple surgical technique that should not be discarded in complete preference to newer innovative methods.

Surgical treatment of piles: prospective, randomized study of Parks vs. Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy.

PURPOSE: The present prospective, randomized clinical trial compares the outcome of surgical hemorrhoidectomy according to Parks and Milligan-Morgan in terms of hospital stay, duration of incapacity to work, symptom relief, length of morbidity, and patient convenience. METHODS: Thirty-four consecutive patients with third or fourth degree internal hemorrhoids were randomly allocated to the two groups. Before surgery, all patients were interviewed using a standard questionnaire, followed by rectal examination. All patients underwent a follow-up interview and examinations 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the operation. RESULTS: No serious postoperative complications were seen. Length of hospital stay (3.2 days for Parks hemorrhoidectomy vs. 4.6 days for Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.2 and 2.6, respectively; P = 0.02) and mean duration of incapacity to work (12.3 days for Parks hemorrhoidectomy vs. 20.2 days for Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy; 95 percent confidence interval, 5.7 and 10.2, respectively; P < 0.001) differed significantly between the Milligan-Morgan and Parks patients. Until two weeks after the operation, Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy patients experienced significantly more pain. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that both operations are safe, easy to perform, and lead to satisfactory results. However, the Parks procedure is the preferred option, because it minimizes patients' postoperative discomfort, is more economic, has a significantly reduced hospital stay, and has a shorter time for return to work.