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Anal manometric findings before and after hemorrhoidectomy: a preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: A difference of opinion exists as to whether patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids, patients after hemorrhoidectomy, and patients with no hemorrhoids have different anal physiologies. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids undergoing hemorrhoidectomy were investigated using anorectal manometry. There were 12 male and 12 female patients with a mean age of 42 years (range: 23 to 72 years). The anorectal manometry was performed one day before the operation and 8 to 12 weeks after the operation. Another normal group, comprised of 138 volunteers, was included and matched for age and gender. RESULTS: The anorectal inhibitory reflex was present in all the normal group (NG), symptomatic hemorrhoid (SH), and post-hemorrhoidectomy (PH) patients. No major incontinence was noted clinically. The mean resting pressure (MRP) in the SH group (mean: 84.5 +/- 28.7 cmH2O, range: 26 to 166 cmH2O) was significantly greater than in the NG (mean: 74.4 +/- 14.9 cmH2O, range: 61 to 116 cmH2O) and the PH groups (mean: 63.7 +/- 23.6 cmH2O, range: 20 to 116 cmH2O) (p = 0.032 and 0.005, respectively). After hemorrhoidectomy, the MRP was significantly decreased compared to the normal group (p = 0.018). The other manometric data showed no statistical change in these three groups. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that persons with SH have a higher MRP than normal. Overactivity of the internal sphincter muscle may be a cause rather than a result of symptomatic hemorrhoids. Compared with the SH and normal groups, the MRP was significantly decreased to prevent recurrent symptomatic hemorrhoids in the PH group. Though the MRP was significantly decreased, no major incontinence was noted after hemorrhoidectomy, and this might be due to the increase in rectal compliance and mean squeeze pressure.

Adult↗

Common anorectal complications in pregnancy. Methods of management.

The hormonal, anatomic and pelvic vascular changes of pregnancy have a profound effect on the anorectum, making hemorrhoidal disease the most common anorectal complication of pregnancy. Anal infections such as fissures, abscesses and fistulas are relatively infrequent.Physiologic engorgement of the hemorrhoidal vessels during pregnancy is quite common, transitory and requires only simple palliation. True symptomatic hemorrhoidal disease, however, is less common, more permanent and will usually need corrective treatment to prevent immediate complications and future aggravation. Serious rectal and colonic diagnostic problems demand endoscopic investigation regardless of the pregnancy. Clinical experience and studies seem to indicate that extreme conservatism in the treatment of severe complicated hemorrhoidal disease during pregnancy appears to be unwarranted. After consultation and agreement, surgical treatment of severe, disabling, symptomatic hemorrhoids that are not responsive to palliation can be safely accomplished during the second trimester of pregnancy. Once true hemorrhoidal disease develops, correction should be done before a subsequent pregnancy to avoid later increased aggravation and morbidity.

Abscess↗

Prevalence of benign anorectal disease in a randomly selected population.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of benign anorectal diseases (BAD) in the general population has been difficult to establish, either because the individual diseases themselves were difficult to characterize in surveys or because of bias in the selection of the survey population. Reported herein is a prevalence survey of BAD symptoms and treatment history of a sample of the general population, selected by random digit dialing. METHOD: A survey instrument that inquired into symptoms of BAD, BAD treatment history, and health-seeking behaviors was administered by telephone interview with 102 individuals, between the ages of 21 and 65 of both genders and all races, chosen by random digit dialing in the Joliet, Illinois area. For selected variables (gender, education level, obesity, previous BAD treatment, fiber supplementation, time for defecation and reading during defecation all related to BAD symptoms) odds ratios and 95 percent confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 102 individuals, 9 had been previously treated for hemorrhoids, 4 by surgery, and 5 medically. Twenty individuals currently have BAD symptoms, six of these have multiple symptoms frequently, implying established BAD, and four of these have been previously treated for hemorrhoids. Seven of eight individuals with rectal bleeding in the past year have not sought medical evaluation. Of the associations tested, statistical significance was found only between female gender and BAD symptoms (odds ratio = 4.6; 95 percent confidence interval = 1.3-20.4). CONCLUSIONS: History of hemorrhoidal treatment and current BAD symptomatology are highly prevalent in a randomly selected population, and 80 percent of the subjects with symptoms of BAD have not consulted a physician regarding BAD. Some previously held correlates of hemorrhoidal symptoms, such as obesity and extended time for defecation, showed no apparent association with hemorrhoid treatment history or current BAD symptoms. The best predictors of current BAD symptoms were female gender (odds ratio = 4.6; 95 percent confidence interval = 1.3-20.4) and previous hemorrhoid treatment (odds ratio = 3.9; 95 percent confidence interval = 0.7-20).

Adult↗

Limited hemorrhoidectomy: results and long-term follow-up.

PURPOSE: Three-column excision has traditionally been the preferred treatment for symptomatic hemorrhoidal disease in patients failing nonoperative treatments. There are few data evaluating focused surgical management of only the symptomatic hemorrhoidal complexes by limited hemorrhoidectomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient outcome after one-quadrant or two-quadrant hemorrhoidectomy for symptomatic hemorrhoids. METHODS: We retrospectively studied patients undergoing a one-quadrant or two-quadrant hemorrhoidectomy as initial surgical treatment of symptomatic columns from April 1987 to July 1993. Patients undergoing a traditional three-quadrant hemorrhoidectomy during the same time period were used as controls. Statistical analysis was used to determine significance. RESULTS: There were 115 evaluable patients who had undergone a one-quadrant or two-quadrant hemorrhoidectomy. One hundred thirty-three three-quadrant patients were studied as the control group. The mean follow-up was 8.1 years and 7.2 years for the limited and three-quadrant hemorrhoidectomy group, respectively. The majority of patients (96 percent limited and 98 percent three-quadrant) experienced initial relief of symptoms after surgery. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the development of recurrent anorectal symptoms (34 percent limited and 29 percent three-quadrant), in the need for additional medical therapy (11.3 percent limited and 15.8 percent three-quadrant), or in the need for additional interventional therapy (2.9 percent limited and 0.8 percent three-quadrant). No patients in either group required additional surgical hemorrhoidectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with hemorrhoidal disease requiring excision can be managed effectively by focused treatment of the problematic columns. With this approach fewer than 2 percent of patients will require further procedural intervention of their hemorrhoidal disease.

Adult↗

Complications and reoperations in stapled anopexy: learning by doing.

Although stapled anopexy for second and third degree hemorrhoids has been widely used since 1998, there are limited long-term data available. We performed an analysis of a prospectively accrued data set of all patients undergoing stapled anopexy in our practice from 1998 through August 2003. Patients were specifically assessed for early and late complications and long-term reoperation rates for anorectal pathology. We performed stapled anopexy in 654 patients (296 females) during the study period. Mean operation time was 21 min (5-70 min), and the postoperative stay was 3.6 days (1-13 days). Early postoperative complications: urinary retention, 42 patients (6.4%); fecal impaction, 18 (2.8%); postoperative hemorrhage, 26 (4.0%); thrombosed external hemorrhoid, four (0.6%); and fistula/abscess, nine (1.4%). Late postoperative complications: anastomotic dehiscence, 21 patients (3.2%); persistence of prolapse in three (0.5%); submucosal anastomotic cysts in four (0.6%); thrombosed external hemorrhoid in two (0.3%); skin tags in ten (1.5%); fissure in six (0.9%); proctitis in two (0.3%); and fecal incontinence in ten (1.5%). Reoperation was required in 50 patients (7.6%). Reoperation for complications within 30 days occurred in 42 patients (6.4%) for the following reasons: bleeding (23), dehiscence (five), thrombosed external hemorrhoid (three), fecal retention (two), fistula (three), fissure (five), and anal papilla (one). Reoperation for anorectal pathology after 30 days was required in 54 patients (8.3%) and was performed for the following: dehiscence/reprolapse (17), stenosis (two), submucous cyst (two), fistula (four), fissure (six), anal papilla (four), skin tags (five), persistent anal itching (five), and miscellaneous (seven). These data represent the largest series of patients with long-term follow-up following stapled anopexy and confirm that the operation is safe in experienced hands using appropriate patient selection. The early complication rate is low and similar to rates reported for excisional hemorrhoidectomy. Importantly, the procedure is associated with a low 3.4% rate of reoperation for persistence or recurrence of hemorrhoidal prolapse with good patient selection.

Adult↗

PPH03 stapled hemorrhoidopexy: our experience.

BACKGROUND: Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is an established treatment for hemorrhoidal disease. We evaluated our experience with stapled hemorrhoidopexy using the new Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids (PPH03) Proximate HCS hemorrhoidal circular stapler (Ethicon Endo-Surgery). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data for 238 patients who had undergone stapled hemorrhoidopexy in our department over a 2-month period. Patients were followed-up for a median of 3.5 weeks (range, 1-11 weeks) and were analyzed for complications and resolution of symptoms. RESULTS: The hemorrhoids treated were third- and fourth-degree, as well as second degree (after failure of other therapies). Mean duration of surgery was 12.7 minutes (range, 5-20 minutes) and the majority of patients was treated with an ambulatory procedure. Most patients were discharged within 6 hours after surgery. On follow-up, 3.7% of patients had minor complaints after surgery. Technically, the new PPH03 stapler device has a quickclose knob, which allows rapid opening and closing. The closed staple height of 0.75 mm increases staple line compression on tissue and key blood vessels, hence minimizing bleeding. Prior to this, stapled hemorrhoidopexy was done using the PPH01 device. CONCLUSIONS: Stapled hemorrhoidopexy using the new PPH03 stapler is a safe, short and effective procedure in the management of hemorrhoids. It can be done in the ambulatory setting and patients have few postoperative complications.

Adolescent↗

Stapled hemorrhoidectomy with local anesthesia can be performed safely and cost-efficiently.

PURPOSE: This prospective study was designed to assess the feasibility of performing the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids, or stapled hemorrhoidectomy, under local anesthesia supplemented with conscious sedation. METHODS: Seventy consecutive patients (mean age, 56 years; 37 males) with Grade 3 or 4 hemorrhoids underwent the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids after perianal infiltration of 0.5 percent lidocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine and supplemental conscious sedation. The procedure was performed in an outpatient setting, with the patient being discharged within two hours of checking into the ambulatory facility. All patients were assessed the following day by telephone, and then in the office at three weeks and two months for degree of postoperative pain, bleeding, continence, and time back to work or social activities. Additionally, all excised mucosal anastomotic rings were analyzed for presence or absence of muscle. RESULTS: Each patient rated the pain as minimal or none. Five patients complained of mild, transient perineal pressure, and three complained of fecal urgency and seepage before their first office visit; one complained of external skin tags at the second office visit. All subjects were back to work or social activities within three to four days-most within 48 hours. Complications included urinary retention in five patients, two of whom had a concomitant urinary tract infection, and one had urosepsis requiring hospitalization. One patient required immediate reoperation for bleeding from the staple line. Another patient was admitted for postoperative bleeding and packed with a hemostatic agent the evening of surgery. Muscularis propria fibers were identified in 68 of 70 pathologic specimens. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of general, spinal, or epidural anesthesia for the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids is well described. This study suggests that the use of local anesthesia supplemented with conscious sedation for the procedure for prolapsing hemorrhoids yields results equivalent to those achieved with general or regional anesthesia without the attendant risks and additional costs. This study also suggests that the presence of muscle fibers in the pathologic specimen does not seem to lead to increased pain or impaired continence, although it was not specifically designed to address this issue.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗

Stapled hemorrhoidectomy: a review of our early experience.

Treatment of hemorrhoids may safely be accomplished by using a circular stapler instead of the conventional open procedure for large symptomatic hemorrhoids. Our purpose was to assess the safety and early post-op results of this new surgical technique as it was introduced into clinical practice. Medical records from 62 patients treated by circumferential mucosectomy/stapled hemorrhoidectomy were obtained from 6 surgeons. Preoperative factors assessed included demographics, comorbidities, prior anorectal surgery, hemorrhoid grade, and the indications for surgery. Operative factors examined included operating time, use of perioperative antibiotics, and oversewing of the suture line. Postoperative factors included complications and date of last follow-up. Sixty-two patients underwent this operation, and complications were reported in six patients (10%). There was one death unrelated to the hemorrhoid surgery. Postoperative pain, defined as requiring pain control with intravenous medication, hospital admission, or an emergency department visit, occurred in two patients. Two patients reported postoperative bleeding. One patient experienced bleeding the first evening, and the second patient had bleeding 1 week postoperatively. The first patient was admitted overnight and required no blood transfusion or further intervention. The second patient was subsequently found to have a bleeding diverticulum. One patient experienced urinary retention that resolved with conservative management. Postoperative follow-up was available for over 90 per cent of the patients at a median of 4 weeks postoperatively. No additional complications were discovered at follow-up. This data suggests that stapled hemorrhoidectomy is a safe and effective approach to hemorrhoidal disease. Our findings indicate an acceptable complication rate among a group of surgeons beginning to integrate this modality into clinical practice.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis↗

[Physiological and clinical outcome of open and closed hemorrhoidectomy compared with stapling method according to long].

AIM OF STUDY: The aim of the study was to evaluate and inaugurate a new method for the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease with the usage of a stapling device (Long's method). PATIENTS: The study spanning two years (September 1999 to June 2001), included 97 hospitalized patients aged 19-75 years, 42 (43.3%) female and 55 (56.7%) male, exhibiting symptoms and signs of stage III hemorrhoidal disease. The patients were divided into three groups: (a) 35 patients treated with open hemorrhoidectomy for stage II hemorrhoidal disease; (b) 30 patients treated with closed hemorrhoidectomy for stage III hemorrhoidal disease; and (c) 32 patients treated for stage III hemorrhoidal disease by a stapling device, i. e. Long's method. RESULTS: Study results showed no statistically significant differences between either open or closed hemorrhoidectomy and Long's method in the following parameters: urinary retention, early bleedings during the first 48 hours, late bleedings, incontinence, anal stenosis, and relapses. Statistically significant differences between the groups of patients treated with either open or closed hemorrhoidectomy and those treated with Long's method were recorded in the following parameters: healing time, subjective feeling of pain, pain pro rata to quantity, and use of analgesics. CONCLUSION: Hemorrhoidectomy by Long's method is an ideal surgical procedure because it allows to realize to goals set on implementing new therapeutic methods: to achieve healing without relapse, to reduce postoperative pain, anal stenosis and incontinence after hemorrhoidectomy, to preserve the physiology of the anal canal, and to familiarize less skilled proctology surgeons with the simplicity of the method.

Adult↗

A systematic review of stapled hemorrhoidectomy.

HYPOTHESIS: Use of circular stapled hemorrhoidectomy will result in the same or improved safety and efficacy outcomes as those of the conventional methods for hemorrhoidectomy in patients with hemorrhoids. DATA SOURCES: Studies on stapled hemorrhoidectomy were identified using PREMEDLINE and MEDLINE (June 1966-June 2001), EMBASE (January 1980-June 2001), Current Contents (June 1993-June 2001), Ovid HEALTHSTAR (January 1975-June 2001), the National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials database (searched June 13, 2001), and The National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment database (searched June 14, 2001). The search terms were as follows: haemorrhoid* and (stapl* or convent*) or hemorrhoid* and (stapl* or convent*). The Cochrane Library (2001, issue 2) was searched using the search terms haemorrhoid* or hemorrhoid*. STUDY SELECTION: Articles detailing randomized controlled trials were included if they compared circular stapled with conventional hemorrhoidectomy and provided relevant safety and efficacy outcome information. DATA EXTRACTION: Data from all included studies were extracted using standardized data extraction tables that were developed a priori. In addition, the randomized controlled trials were examined with respect to the adequacy of allocation concealment, handling of those unavailable for follow-up, and any other aspect of the study design or execution that may have introduced bias. DATA SYNTHESIS: Seven randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis was conducted when the studies had comparable outcomes, inclusion criteria, and follow-up. There was reasonably clear evidence in favor of the stapled procedure for bleeding at 2 weeks (relative risk, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.82) and length of hospital stay (weighted mean difference, -0.89 days; 95% confidence interval, -1.42 to -0.36). Other less robust results in favor of the stapled hemorrhoidectomy related to pain, bleeding, anal discharge, wound healing, tenderness to per rectal examination, incontinence scores, earlier return of bowel function, analgesic requirement, and resumption of normal activities. One trial showed that prolapse occurred at significantly higher rates in the stapled hemorrhoidectomy group. However, the outcomes were poorly reported and generally showed statistically significant heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Stapled hemorrhoidectomy may be at least as safe as conventional hemorrhoidal surgical techniques. However, the efficacy of the stapled procedure compared with the conventional techniques could not be determined. More rigorous studies with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes need to be conducted.

Hemorrhoids↗

Treatment of benign anal disease with topical nitroglycerin.

PURPOSE: Fissure-in-ano and acutely thrombosed external hemorrhoids are common, benign anal conditions, usually characterized by severe anal pain. Internal anal sphincter hypertonia appears to play a role in the etiology of this pain. Nitric oxide has recently been identified as the "novel biologic messenger" that mediates the anorectal inhibitory reflex in humans. This report documents a therapeutic role for nitroglycerin, a nitric oxide donor, in the treatment of acutely thrombosed external hemorrhoids and anal fissure. METHODS: Five patients with thrombosed external hemorrhoids and fifteen patients with anal fissure or ulcer were identified. A treatment regimen that included 0.5 percent nitroglycerin ointment applied topically to the anus was instituted. After one week of therapy, all patients were re-examined and questioned regarding pain relief and side effects of treatment. Fissure patients were followed for eight weeks or until healing occurred. RESULTS: All patients reported dramatic relief of anal pain following application of nitroglycerin. Pain relief lasted from two to six hours. Complete healing of fissures occurred within two weeks in ten patients and within one month in two patients. One patient, whose fissure had not healed completely within two weeks requested surgical sphincterotomy. Two patients remained with persistent anal ulcers despite two months of therapy. Both, however, were pain-free. Side effects were limited to transient headache in 7 of 20 patients. CONCLUSION: Topically applied nitroglycerin ointment appears to have a therapeutic role in the treatment of thrombosed external hemorrhoids and anal fissure.

Administration, Topical↗

Hemorrhoidectomy vs. Lord's method: 17-year follow-up of a prospective, randomized trial.

PURPOSE: A prospective, randomized trial was performed between 1979 and 1981 comparing anal dilation and hemorrhoidectomy for hemorrhoidal disease at the Maastricht University Hospital. The aim of this study was to update that trial to assess long-term outcome and complications such as fecal incontinence. METHODS: A total of 138 patients with second-degree and third-degree hemorrhoids entered the study. Median follow-up was 17 (range, 8.4-18.3) years and was achieved for 118 (86 percent) patients. Group A (n = 35) underwent hemorrhoidectomy and Group B (n = 39) was treated with anal dilation and aftertreatment (original Lord's procedure), whereas Group C (n = 44) had dilation only. Fourteen of these patients died. RESULTS: Recurrent hemorrhoids were noted for 26 percent of the patients treated with hemorrhoidectomy, for 46 percent with operative dilation with the postoperative dilation program, and for 39 percent with operative dilation without the postoperative program. The percentage of repeated treatment for the three subgroups was 11, 23, and 18 percent, respectively. The continence status remained more or less the same during the first year. However, 17 years later the anal stretch procedures caused various incontinence disorders in 52 percent of these patients. Significance was found for incontinence of flatus (from 11 to 30 patients; P = 0.04) in the anal dilation groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hemorrhoidectomy can be considered to be a safe procedure for treatment of hemorrhoidal disease, with excellent long-term results. Anal dilation is associated with a high percentage of complaints of fecal incontinence. The procedure should be abandoned.

Adult↗

Anal sensation and the continence mechanism.

Thermal sensation is thought to be important in sensory discrimination between different substances. The aim of this study was to determine the thermal sensitivity in the anal canal in continent patients with hemorrhoids (N = 20), a group that has been reported to have a sensory deficit, and to compare the results with control subjects (N = 40) and patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence (IFI) (N = 22). Anal manometry was performed and sensation to mucosal electrostimulation and temperature change in the lower, middle, and upper zones of the anal canal assessed. Thermal sensation was impaired in the hemorrhoid group as compared with controls, but not to the same degree as in IFI (e.g., median thermal sensitivity in mid anal canal, control 0.9 degrees C, hemorrhoid 1.2 degrees C, IFI 2.0 degrees C, P less than .05 and less than .001, respectively). The correlation between the two tests of sensation was 0.54 (P less than .001) and the reproducibility of thermal sensory thresholds was 0.82 (P less than .001). In conclusion, patients with hemorrhoids have a mild anal sensory deficit, but continence in this group is likely to be augmented by other factors.

Adult↗

Complications after stapled hemorrhoidectomy: can they be prevented?

Stapled hemorrhoidectomy (SH), a new approach to the treatment of hemorrhoids, removes a circumferential strip of mucosa about four centimeters above the dentate line. A review of 1,107 patients treated with SH from twelve Italian coloproctological centers has revealed a 15% (164/1,107) complication rate. Immediate complications (first week) were: severe pain in 5.0% of all patients, bleeding (4.2%), thrombosis (2.3%), urinary retention (1.5%), anastomotic dehiscence (0.5%), fissure (0.2%), perineal intramural hematoma (0.1%), and submucosal abscess (0.1%). Bleeding was treated surgically in 24%, with Foley insertion 15%; and by epinephrine infiltration in 2%; 53% of patients with bleeding received no treatment and 6% needed transfusion. One patient with anastomotic dehiscence needed pelvic drainage and colostomy formation. The most common complication after 1 week was recurrence of hemorrhoids in 2.3% of patients, severe pain (1.7%), stenosis (0.8%), fissure (0.6%), bleeding (0.5%), skin tag (0.5%), thrombosis (0.4%), papillary hypertrophy (0.3%) fecal urency (0.2%), staples problems (0.2%), gas flatus and fecal incontinence (0.2%), intramural abscess, partial dehiscence, mucosal septum and intussusception (each <0.1%). Recurrent hemorrhoids were treated by ligation in 40% and by Milligan-Morgan procedure in 32%. All hemorrhoidal thromboses were excised. Anal stenoses were treated by dilatation in 55% and by anoplasty in 45%. Fissure was treated by dilatation in 57%. Most complications (65%) occurred after the surgeon had more than 25 case experiences of stapled hemorrhoidectomy. The most common complication in the first 25 cases of the surgeon's experience was bleeding (48%). Even though SH appears to be promising, we feel that a multicenter randomized study with a long-term follow-up comparing SH and banding is necessary before recommending the procedure. Most complications can be avoided by respecting the rectal wall anatomy in the execution of the procedure.

Adult↗

[Morbidity after stapled haemorrhoidectomy: long-term results about 140 patients and review of the literature].

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the results and the complications of the treatment of hemorrhoids with circular stapler with a follow-up of 18 months, and to review the complications in the literature. METHODS: From April 1998 to August 1999, 140 patients (83 males and 57 females) with an average age of 43.8 years (range: 19-83 years) underwent haemorrhoidectomy using a circular stapler in three university hospital centers. The degree of hemorrhoids has been classified: three cases of degree II, 97 cases of degree III, and 40 cases of degree IV. All the patients were prospectively evaluated at two weeks, two and 18 months after surgery. RESULTS: The average length of the operation was 18 minutes (range: 8-60 minutes). Mean hospital stay was 36 hours (range: 8-72 hours). There was no intraoperative complication. There was no mortality. The postoperative complication rate was 7.8% (N = 11): there were five cases of bleeding that two complicated by a submucosal hematoma (one was infected and needed a rectotomy on day 21), two cases of urinary retention, and two cases of external hemorrhoid thrombosis. The bleeding occurred in the 12 hours after surgery except for one patient with antivitamin K whith presented a secondary bleeding on day 16. At 18 months, five patients presented a moderate asymptomatic stricture dilated on digital examination. Two patients complained of persistent skin tags. Neither functional trouble nor incontinence to gas, liquids, or solids was presented. With a mean follow-up of 40 months, 90% (N = 112) of the patients were fully satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of hemorrhoids with circular stapler appears to be effective with 96% of patients fully satisfied at 18 months. The morbidity rate was low, and no higher than the diathermy excision hemorrhoidectomy. The results are directly dependent on the practice that required a learning, and not on the technique itself.

Adult↗

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and venotonic effects of Cissus quadrangularis Linn.

Cissus quadrangularis, a medicinal plant indigenous to Asia and Africa, is used for many ailments, especially for the treatment of hemorrhoid. The effects associated with hemorrhoid, i.e. analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities as well as the venotonic effect of the methanol extract of C. quadrangularis (CQ) were assessed in comparison with reference drugs. In the analgesic test, CQ provoked a significant reduction of the number of writhes in acetic acid-induced writhing response in mice. CQ also significantly reduced the licking time in both phases of the formalin test. The results suggest peripheral and central analgesic activity of CQ. In acute phase of inflammation CQ elicited the inhibitory effect on the edema formation of the rats' ear induced by ethyl phenylpropiolate as well as on the formation of the paw edema in rats induced by both carrageenin and arachidonic acid. It is likely that CQ is a dual inhibitor of arachidonic acid metabolism. In addition, CQ exerted venotonic effect on isolated human umbilical vein similarly to the mixture of bioflavonoids, i.e. 90% diosmin and 10% hesperidin. The results obtained confirmed the traditional use of C. quadrangularis for the treatment of pain and inflammation associated with hemorrhoid as well as reducing the size of hemorrhoids.

Analgesia↗

Hemorrhoidectomy with lasers and other contemporary modalities.

Hemorrhoids should be classified so that the treatment can be individualized. Minor or asymptomatic hemorrhoids usually do not require any treatment. Diet modification is a useful adjunct in all degrees of hemorrhoids. Fixation procedures may be employed in the office for first-, second-, and minor third-degree hemorrhoids. These techniques are valuable in elderly and poor-risk patients. Excisions may be performed by standard instruments or lasers with good results. These techniques may be employed with local anesthesia and in an outpatient setting. Lasers may be effective as either a fixation device or an excisional tool. The problem is cost and maintenance of the equipment and the cost of the disposable apparatus. If the equipment is already available or can be shared for multidisciplinary use, hemorrhoidectomy can be accomplished in a cost-effective manner with excellent results.

Female↗

[Stapler hemorrhoidectomy versus conventional procedures - a clinical study].

Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy is when correctly indicated an easy feasible operative procedure for prolapsing internal hemorrhoids with or without a mucosal prolapse offering benefits to the patient. From July 1998 to October 2000 we treated 152 patients with a mean age of 52 (24-91) years for hemorrhoids within this study. We compared 72 patients, treated with stapled hemorrhoidectomy according to Koblandin-Longo with 80 patients who underwent a "conventional" reconstructive operation (Parks or Fansler-Arnold). All resected material was histopathologically examined. With stapler hemorrhoidectomy we found on average shorter operation times (22 vs. 53 min, p < 0.01), shorter hospitalisation (3 vs. 6.1 d, p < 0.01), significantly less postoperative pain (VAS 0-10: 1.83 vs. 3.70, p < 0.01) and fewer cumulative requests for analgesia by the patients (0.92 vs. 3.11 single doses, p < 0.01). The complication rate was 4 % in the stapler group and 11 % in the conventional group. Stapled hemorrhoidectomy was carried out only in patients with 3 degrees hemorrhoids with or without mucosal prolapse. The conventional group consisted of patients with 3 degrees prolapsing or 4 degrees fixated external hemorrhoids. Although very promising results are actually described with stapler hemorrhoidectomy, the established conventional reconstructive operations should be continued until long-term results are published.

Adult↗