Stapled hemorrhoidopexy compared with conventional hemorrhoidectomy: systematic review of randomized, controlled trials

Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy Plus Ligation Anopexy With Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy for Managing Grade III and IV Hemorrhoidal Disease

BACKGROUND

Despite the benefits of the stapled hemorrhoidopexy in the short term, management of prolapsing hemorrhoids, the long-term results are still insufficient regarding recurrent prolapse and patient satisfaction. The current study investigates the addition of ligation anopexy to stapled hemorrhoidopexy.

OBJECTIVE

Valuation of adding ligation anopexy to stapled hemorrhoidopexy in improving short-term and long-term results in the treatment of grade III and IV hemorrhoids.

DATA SOURCES

Between January 2018 and January 2020, we recruited 124 patients with grade III and IV hemorrhoids at Alexandria Main University Hospital.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized controlled trial.

INTERVENTIONS

One hundred twenty-four patients were blindly randomly assigned to 2 equal groups: stapled hemorrhoidopexy (group I) and stapled hemorrhoidopexy plus ligation anopexy (group II).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Recurrence of hemorrhoids and patient satisfaction after a follow-up period of at least 2 years.

RESULTS

The average operating time was noticeably less in the stapled hemorrhoidopexy group. Postoperative pain, analgesia requirement, hemorrhoid symptoms score, return to work, complications rate, and quality of life 1 month after surgery were similar between groups. Following a mean follow-up of 36 months (interval, 24-47), in group I, 10 patients (16%) reported recurrent external swelling and/or prolapse compared to 3 patients (5%) in group II ( p  = 0.0368). Five patients in group I required redo surgery, whereas no patients required redo surgery in group II. Long-term patient satisfaction was significantly better in group II.

LIMITATIONS

It was a single-center experience, so longer follow-up was needed.

CONCLUSIONS

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy and stapled hemorrhoidopexy plus ligation anopexy were similar in short-term results with regard to complications rate, hemorrhoids symptoms score, return to work, and quality of life. Long-term results were significantly better with regard to recurrence of external swelling and/or prolapse and patient satisfaction after stapled hemorrhoidopexy plus ligation anopexy. See Video Abstract .

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Pan African Clinical Trials Registry identifier PACTR20180100293130.

ECA PARA COMPARAR LA HEMORROIDOPEXIA CON GRAPAS MS ANOPEXIA POR LIGADURA CON LA HEMORROIDOPEXIA CON GRAPAS PARA EL TRATAMIENTO DE LA ENFERMEDAD HEMORROIDAL DE GRADO III Y IV

ANTECEDENTES:A pesar de los beneficios de la hemorroidopexia con grapas a corto plazo, el manejo de las hemorroides prolapsadas, los resultados a largo plazo aún son insuficientes en cuanto al prolapso recurrente y la satisfacción del paciente, por lo que en nuestro estudio actual agregamos anopexia por ligadura a la hemorroidopexia con grapas.OBJETIVO:Valoración de añadir anopexia por ligadura a la hemorroidopexia con grapas para mejorar los resultados a corto y largo plazo en el tratamiento de las hemorroides grado III-IV.FUENTES DE DATOS:Entre enero de 2018 y enero de 2020 reclutamos a 124 pacientes con hemorroides de grado III-IV en el hospital universitario principal de Alexandria.SELECCIÓN DEL ESTUDIO:Ensayo controlado aleatorio PACTR201801002931307.INTERVENCIÓN(S):124 pacientes fueron asignados al azar de forma ciega a dos grupos iguales, hemorroidopexia con grapas (grupo I) y hemorroidopexia con grapas más anopexia por ligadura (grupo II).PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Recurrencia de hemorroides y satisfacción del paciente después de un período de seguimiento de al menos dos años.RESULTADOS:El tiempo operatorio promedio fue notablemente menor en el grupo de hemorroidopexia con grapas. Mientras tanto, el dolor posoperatorio, la necesidad de analgesia, la puntuación de los síntomas de hemorroides, el regreso al trabajo, la tasa de complicaciones y la calidad de vida un mes después de la cirugía fueron similares. Después de un seguimiento medio de 36 meses (intervalo: 24-47), el Grupo I, 10 pacientes (16%) se quejaron de inflamación externa recurrente y/o prolapso en comparación con 3 pacientes (5%) en el Grupo II ( p = 0,0368) que requiere rehacer la cirugía. No fue necesaria una nueva cirugía en el grupo II; además, la satisfacción del paciente a largo plazo fue significativamente mejor en el grupo II.LIMITACIONES:Se necesita un seguimiento más prolongado y experiencia en un solo centro.CONCLUSIONES:La hemorroidopexia con grapas comparada con la hemorroidopexia con grapas más anopexia por ligadura fue similar en resultados a corto plazo en cuanto a tasa de complicaciones, puntuación de síntomas de hemorroides, regreso al trabajo y calidad de vida. Los resultados a largo plazo fueron significativamente mejores en cuanto a la recurrencia de la inflamación externa y/o el prolapso y la satisfacción del paciente después de la hemorroidopexia con grapas más anopexia por ligadura. (Traducción-Dr. Mauricio Santamaria ).

The importance of compression time in stapled hemorrhoidopexy: is patience a virtue?

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether longer compression time before firing the stapler reduced the postoperative complications related to staple line formation in stapled hemorrhoidopexy.

METHODS

This retrospective case-control study was conducted at a colorectal-anal specialty hospital. Consecutive patients with grades III and IV hemorrhoids who underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy between January 2016 and November 2019 were included. According to the compression time, patients were assigned to the long compression time group (2 minutes) or the typical compression time group (30 seconds). The primary outcome measure was incidence of staple line complications such as dehiscence, bleeding, and stenosis.

RESULTS

A total of 348 patients treated with stapled hemorrhoidopexy were evaluated. Seventy-three and 275 patients were included in the long compression time group and the typical compression time group, respectively. No significant differences were observed in patient characteristics between the groups. However, additional procedures were performed more frequently in the typical compression time group (78.1% vs. 92.0%, P=0.001). Bleeding occurred more frequently in the typical compression time group (1.4% vs. 8.4%, P=0.030). The rates of dehiscence and stenosis were not significantly different between the groups. Fecal urgency developed more frequently in the typical compression time group (0% vs. 5.1%, P=0.040). In logistic regression analysis, typical compression time (30 seconds) was the only risk factor for bleeding (odds ratio, 8.496; P=0.040).

CONCLUSION

Longer compression time was associated with a decreased incidence of postoperative bleeding after stapled hemorrhoidopexy.

Top 100 most-cited articles on hemorrhoids: A bibliometric analysis and visualized study

Background

Hemorrhoids have a significant incidence in people and are becoming a common public health problem. This study provides a bibliometric and visualized analysis of the most influential literature in the field. The aim is to reveal trends in the field of hemorrhoids and to provide a reference for researchers.

Methods

The 100 most frequently cited studies in the field of hemorrhoids were collected from the Web of Science(WOS), and were analyzed in terms of the annual publication, types of literature, countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords. During the study, we used a combination of VosViewer, Carrot2, Microsoft Excel, and Tableau tools to better present the visual information.

Results

A total of 4,481 articles were retrieved, of which 3,592 were of the Article and Review types, among which we selected the 100 most frequently cited. A large amount of highly cited literature on hemorrhoid surgery emerged from 1990 to 2010, and the interest of researchers in hemorrhoid surgery seems to have waned after 2010. The sources of highly cited literature in the field of hemorrhoids are predominantly Western, with the United States. and the United Kingdom accounting for almost half of the publications worldwide. However, countries with higher prevalence populations do not have significant research on hemorrhoids. St. Mark's Hospital has published the largest number of influential articles in the field of hemorrhoid disease. Kamm MA and Phillips RKS are the most authoritative authors in the field. Diseases of the Colon & Rectum and the British Journal of Surgery are the most influential journals in this field. The highly cited literature covers a wide range of disciplines, with Thomson's classic “The nature of hemorrhoids” receiving the most attention among the studies focusing on hemorrhoids. Keyword and clustering analysis revealed that The most famous focus in the field of hemorrhoid research is the evolution of stapled hemorrhoidectomy (SH) and Milligan-morgan hemorrhoidectomy (MMH).

Conclusions

This study is the first to explore developments in the field of hemorrhoids, and it helps surgeons quickly understand global trends in the field of hemorrhoids. In recent years, the development of hemorrhoids seems to have hit a bottleneck, with scholarly interest in the field of waning, especially in surgery Procedures. The theory of inferior anal cushion migration has proven to be the most influential theory in the field, but after studies based on SH and MMH, more high-quality evidence is needed to continue advancing the field of hemorrhoids. The results of this study are intended to add to the attention and interest of scholars in this area and provide a reference for further research.

Reducing Complications After Surgery for Benign Anorectal Conditions

While generally perceived as mundane and low-risk procedures, anorectal surgeries by virtue of their anatomic real-estate-dense with nerves, blood supply, and structures critical to the quality of life-are fraught with the potential for complications. While these complications are generally not life-threatening, their impact to the quality of life can be severe. Furthermore, the sheer volume of anorectal procedures performed each year means that even low complication rates or less severe complications can have significant economic impact.

Comparison of post-operative bleeding incidence in laser hemorrhoidoplasty with and without hemorrhoidal artery ligation: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial

Introduction

The effectiveness of hemorrhoidal artery ligation supplementation in reducing the incidence of post laser hemorrhoidoplasty bleeding has not been investigated.

Methods

This was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial comparing post-operative bleeding incidence in patients undergoing laser hemorrhoidoplasty (LHP) only versus LHP with hemorrhoidal artery ligation (HAL). Outcome measures included post-operative bleeding and its severity (i.e. verbal rating scale and Clavien-Dindo classification), presence of perianal swelling and pain score (visual analog score) at 1-day, 1-week and 6-weeks post-operatively. Statistical tests were performed and a value of P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Seventy-six patients were randomized. There was no difference in median operating time. The bleeding incidence was highest at 1-week post-operatively (17.1%), and decreased to 1.3% at 6-weeks. There was no significant difference in bleeding incidence between both groups at any of the measured timepoints (P > 0.05). Severity of bleeding and incidence of post-operative perianal swelling were similar in both groups (P > 0.05). There was no difference in median pain scores.

Conclusion

Supplementation of HAL to LHP does not reduce the post-operative bleeding incidence. LHP is sufficient as a stand-alone procedure for treating haemorrhoids.

Trial registration: National Registration Number is NMRR-15-1112-24065 (IIR). The trial start date was 1st January 2015 with the ClinicalTrials.gov identifier and registration number as NCT04667169.

Hemorrhoidectomy versus rubber band ligation in grade III hemorrhoidal disease: a large retrospective cohort study with long-term follow-up

PURPOSE

Standard therapy for grade III hemorrhoids is rubber band ligation (RBL) and hemorrhoidectomy. The long-term clinical and patient-reported outcomes of these treatments in a tertiary referral center for proctology were evaluated.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed in all patients with grade III hemorrhoids who were treated between January 2013 and August 2018. Medical history, symptoms, reinterventions, complications, and patient-reported outcome measurements (PROM) were retrieved from individual electronic patient files, which were prospectively entered as standard questionnaires in our clinic.

RESULTS

Overall, 327 patients (163 males) were treated by either RBL (n=182) or hemorrhoidectomy (n=145). The median follow-up was 44 months. The severity of symptoms and patient preference led to the treatment of choice. The most commonly experienced symptoms were prolapse (83.2%) and blood loss (69.7%). Hemorrhoidectomy was effective in 95.9% of the cases as a single procedure, while a single RBL procedure was only effective in 51.6%. In the RBL group, 34.6% received a second RBL session. Complications were not significantly different, 11 (7.6%) after hemorrhoidectomy versus 6 (3.3%) after RBL. However, 4 fistulas developed after hemorrhoidectomy and none after RBL (P<0.05). The pre-procedure PROM score was higher in the hemorrhoidectomy group whereas the post-procedure PROM score did not significantly differ between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of grade III hemorrhoids usually requires more than one session RBL whereas 1-time hemorrhoidectomy suffices. Complications were more common after hemorrhoidectomy. The patient-related outcome did not differ between procedures.

Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation with suture mucopexy compared with LigaSure™-assisted pile excision for the treatment of grade III hemorrhoids: a prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Doppler-guided hemorrhoid artery ligation and stapled hemorrhoidopexy have been used in surgical practices to avoid post-hemorrhoidectomy pain. Our study compared Doppler-guided hemorrhoid artery ligation with suture mucopexy (DGHAL-SM) and ligature-assisted pile excision (LAP) for greater than three grades of internal hemorrhoids.

METHODS

Eighty patients with greater than 3 grades of internal hemorrhoids were selected (age range: 20-28 years; average age: 23 years) between January and June 2015. The patients were randomly divided into group A (DGHAL-SM) and group B (LAP); each group had 40 patients.

RESULTS

With respect to the postoperative cure rate and anal skin tags, group A was inferior to group B, but the postoperative pain assessment and satisfaction were better than group B (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The DGHAL-SM cure rate was high; the postoperative pain was mild; 97.5% of the patients did not return to hospital because of pain. LAP has a higher cure rate than DGHAL-SM, but the postoperative pain and return rate within 6 h was as high as 65%, and the postoperative satisfaction assessment was lower than DGHAL-SM. Therefore, we recommend that DGHAL-SM for outpatient surgery in patients with greater than three grades of internal hemorrhoids.

Modified procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids: Lower recurrence, higher satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Hemorrhoidal prolapse is a common benign disease with a high incidence. The treatment procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) remains an operative method used for internal hemorrhoid prolapse. Although it is related to less pos-operative pain, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays, the postoperative recurrence rate is higher than that of the Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy (MMH). We have considered that recurrence could be due to shortage of the pulling-up effect. This issue may be overcome by using lower purse-string sutures [modified-PPH (M-PPH)].

AIM

To compare the therapeutic effects and the patients’ satisfaction after M-PPH, PPH and MMH.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 1163 patients (M-PPH, 461; original PPH, 321; MMH, 381) with severe hemorrhoids (stage III/IV) who were admitted to The 2^nd Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from 2012 to 2014. Early postoperative complications, efficacy, postoperative anal dysfunction and patient satisfaction were compared among the three groups. Established criteria were used to assess short- and long-term postoperative complications. A visual analog scale was used to evaluate postoperative pain. Follow-up was conducted 5 years postoperatively.

RESULT

Length of hospital stay and operating time were significantly longer in the MMH group (8.05 ± 2.50 d, 19.98 ± 4.21 min; P < 0.0001) than in other groups. The incidence of postoperative anastomotic bleeding was significantly lower after M-PPH than after PPH or MMH (1.9%, 5.1% and 3.7%; n = 9, 16 and 14; respectively). There was a significantly higher rate of sensation of rectal tenesmus after M-PPH than after MMH or PPH (15%, 8% and 10%; n = 69, 30 and 32; respectively). There was a significantly lower rate of recurrence after M-PPH than after PPH (8.7% and 18.8%, n = 40 and 61; P < 0.0001). The incidence of postoperative anal incontinence differed significantly only between the MMH and M-PPH groups (1.3% and 4.3%, n = 5 and 20; P = 0.04). Patient satisfaction was significantly greater after M-PPH than after other surgeries.

CONCLUSION

M-PPH has many advantages for severe hemorrhoids (Goligher stage III/IV), with a low rate of anastomotic bleeding and recurrence and a very high rate of patient satisfaction.

M-PPH

European Society of ColoProctology: guideline for haemorrhoidal disease

AIM

The goal of this European Society of ColoProctology project was to establish a multidisciplinary, international guideline for haemorrhoidal disease (HD) and to provide guidance on the most effective (surgical) treatment for patients with HD.

METHODS

The development process consisted of six phases. In phase one we defined the scope of the guideline. The patient population included patients with all stages of haemorrhoids. The target group for the guideline was all practitioners treating patients with haemorrhoids and, in addition, healthcare workers and patients who desired information regarding the treatment management of HD. The guideline needed to address both the diagnosis of and the therapeutic modalities for HD. Phase two consisted of the compilation of the guideline development group (GDG). All clinical members needed to have affinity with the diagnosis and treatment of haemorrhoids. Further, attention was paid to the geographical distribution of the clinicians. Each GDG member identified at least one patient in their country who could read English to comment on the draft guideline. In phase three review questions were formulated, using a reversed process, starting with possible recommendations based on the GDG's knowledge. In phase four a literature search was performed in MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, Embase (Ovid) and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The search was focused on existing systematic reviews addressing each review question, supplemented by other studies published after the time frame covered by the systematic reviews. In phase five data of the included papers were extracted by the surgical resident (RT) and checked by the methodologist (JK) and the GDG. If needed, meta-analysis of the systematic reviews was updated by the surgical resident and the methodologist using Review Manager. During phase six the GDG members decided what recommendations could be made based on the evidence found in the literature using GRADE.

RESULTS

There were six sections: (i) symptoms, diagnosis and classification; (ii) basic treatment; (iii) outpatient procedures; (iv) surgical interventions; (v) special situations; (vi) other surgical techniques. Thirty-four recommendations were formulated.

CONCLUSION

This international, multidisciplinary guideline provides an up to date and evidence based summary of the current knowledge of the management of HD and may serve as a useful guide for patients and clinicians.

Perirectal Hematoma and Intra-Abdominal Bleeding after Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy and STARR-A Proposal for a Decision-Making Algorithm

Background and Objectives: The present study aims to assess the effectiveness and current evidence of the treatment of perirectal bleeding after stapled haemorrhoidopexy. Materials and methods: A systematic literature review was performed that combined the published and the obtained original data after a search of PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. Results: The present systematic review includes 16 articles with 37 patients. Twelve papers report perirectal and six report intra-abdominal bleeding. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) was performed in 57% of cases (3 PPH 01 and 15 PPH 03), stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) in 13%, and for 30% information was not available. The median age was 49 years (±11.43). The sign and symptoms of perirectal bleeding were abdominal pain (43%), pelvic discomfort without rectal bleeding (36%), urinary retention (14%), and external rectal bleeding (21%). The median time to bleeding was 1 day (±1.53 postoperative days), with median hemoglobin at diagnosis 8.8 ± 1.04 g/dL. Unstable hemodynamic was reported in 19%. Computed tomography scan (CT) was the first examination in 77%. Only two cases underwent the abdominal US, but subsequently, a CT scan was also conducted. Non-operative management was performed in 38% (n = 14) with selective arteriography and percutaneous angioembolization in two cases. A surgical treatment was performed in 23 cases - transabdominal surgery (3 colostomies, 1 Hartmann' procedure, 1 low anterior resection of the rectum, 1 bilateral ligation of internal iliac artery and 1 ligation of vessels located at the rectal wall), transanal surgery (n = 13), a perineal incision in one, and CT-guided paracoccygeal drainage in one. Conclusions: Because of the rarity and lack of experience, no uniform tactic for the treatment of perirectal hematomas exists in the literature. We propose an algorithm similar to the approach in pelvic trauma, based on two main pillars -hemodynamic stability and the finding of contrast CT.

Management of haemorrhoids: protocol of an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of haemorrhoidal diseases was high in general population, and many treatments are proposed for the management of haemorrhoids. The treatments include conservative and surgical interventions; the credibility and strength of current evidence of their effectiveness are not comprehensively evaluated. We aim to evaluate the credibility of systematic reviews and meta-analyses that assess the effectiveness of the treatments for haemorrhoidal diseases through an umbrella review.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will search Ovid Medline, Embase, Cochrane library and Web of Science from inception to March 2020 without any language restriction. We will include meta-analyses that examine the effectiveness of treatments in the management of haemorrhoids. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts of retrieved articles, and they will extract data from the included meta-analyses. For each meta-analysis, we will estimate the effect size of a treatment through the random-effect model and the fixed-effect model, and we will evaluate between-study heterogeneity (Cochrane's Q and I2 statistics) and small-study effect (Egger's test); we will also estimate the evidence of excess significance bias. Evidence of each treatment will be graded according to prespecified criteria. Methodological quality of each meta-analysis will be evaluated by using Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2. The corrected cover area method will be used to assess the impact of overlap in reviews on the findings of the umbrella review.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

We will present the results of the umbrella review at conferences and publish the final report in a peer-reviewed journal. The umbrella review does not require ethical approval.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019140702.

Comparison of the short-term outcomes of using DST and PPH staplers in the treatment of grade III and IV hemorrhoids

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy has a few advantages such as less postoperative pain and faster recovery compared with conventional hemorrhoidectomy. There are two major devices used for stapled hemorrhoidopexy, PPH stapler (Ethicon EndoSurgery) and DST stapler (Covidien). This study was conducted to investigate the postoperative outcomes among patients with grade III and IV hemorrhoids who underwent hemorrhoidopexy with either of these two devices. A total of 242 consecutive patients underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy with either PPH stapler (110 patients) or DST stapler (132 patients) at a single center in 2017. We performed a retrospective case–control study to compare the short-term postoperative outcomes and the complications between these two groups. After matching the cases in terms of age, gender, and the grade of hemorrhoids, there were 100 patients in each group (PPH versus DST). There were no significant differences in the postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) score and analgesic usage. Among complications, the incidence of anorectal stricture was significantly higher in the DST group (p = 0.02). Evaluation of the mucosal specimen showed that the total surface area, the muscle/mucosa ratio and the surface area of the muscle were also significantly higher in the DST group (p = 0.03). Further analysis of the DST group demonstrated that patients with anorectal stricture after surgery are younger than patients without anorectal stricture, and higher muscle/mucosa ratio (p = 0.03) and a higher surface area of the muscle (p = 0.03) also measured in the surgical specimen. The two devices provide similar outcomes of postoperative recovery. Patients who underwent DST stapled hemorrhoidopexy had a higher incidence rate of stricture, larger area of muscle excision, and higher muscle/mucosa ratio in the surgical specimen. Further investigation is warranted for a better understanding of the correlation between muscle excision and anorectal stricture.

Consensus statement of the Italian society of colorectal surgery (SICCR): management and treatment of hemorrhoidal disease

Hemorrhoidal disease (HD) is the most common proctological disease in the Western countries. However, its real prevalence is underestimated due to the frequent self-medication.The aim of this consensus statement is to provide evidence-based data to allow an individualized and appropriate management and treatment of HD. The strategy used to search for evidence was based on application of electronic sources such as MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Review Library, CINAHL, and EMBASE.These guidelines are inclusive and not prescriptive.The recommendations were defined and graded based on the current levels of evidence and in accordance with the criteria adopted by American College of Chest Physicians. The recommendations were graded A, B, and C.

A comparative study between rubber band ligation and local application of herbal caustic compound (pratisaraneeya kshara) in management of internal haemorrhoids

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Application of PK is a safe and effective treatment for internal haemorrhoids.

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Hospital stay is not required for patients undergoing this treatment.

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Post-operative analgesia is not required in most of the cases.

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It proved better in eradicating large and broad based pile mass than RBL.

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It can be employed as alternative office procedure for management of haemorrhoids.

Benign anorectal disease: hemorrhoids, fissures, and fistulas

Hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and fistulas are common benign anorectal diseases that have a significant impact on patients’ lives. They are primarily encountered by primary care providers, including internists, gastroenterologists, pediatricians, gynecologists, and emergency care providers. Most complex anorectal disease cases are referred to colorectal surgeons. Knowledge of these disease processes is essential for proper treatment and follow up. Hemorrhoids and fissures frequently benefit from non-operative treatment; they may, however, require surgical procedures. The treatment of anorectal abscess and fistulas is mainly surgical. The aim of this review is to examine the etiology, diagnosis, medical, and surgical treatment for these benign anorectal diseases.

Long-Term Results After Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy: A 15-Year Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

The stapled hemorrhoidopexy is reported to have a low recurrence while treating the major hemorrhoidal symptoms of bleeding and prolapse. The aim of this study is to obtain long-term results on the outcome of the stapled hemorrhoidopexy.

METHODS

All patients with a hemorrhoidal disease grade III, who underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy from May 1999-December 2003, were included. Data collection was based on a standardized telephone interview. In the questionnaire, we recorded information regarding the postoperative recurrence and severity of hemorrhoidal symptoms (defined as bleeding, prolapse, burning, itching and moisture), further hemorrhoidal treatments and functional results (incontinence, fecal urgency and outlet obstruction) as well as patients' satisfaction.

RESULTS

Of the 257 patients, who underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy, follow-up data were available in 140 patients. In 47.4% of the patients, a recurrence of at least one hemorrhoidal symptom was registered, whereas this recurrence was observed in 47.3% of these patients more than 10 years postoperatively. A surgical re-intervention was necessary in 15.2%. We found a postoperative new incontinence in 15.5%, a fecal urgency in 28.0% and an outlet obstruction in 9.4%. Of all patients, 62.3% were "very satisfied" with the operation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study revealed a relatively high recurrence of hemorrhoidal symptoms after a mean follow-up of 15 years with a high recurrence rate more than 10 years postoperatively. In consideration of not negligible risk of incontinence, fecal urgency and outlet obstruction, the indication for a stapled hemorrhoidopexy should be made well considered. However, patients' satisfaction is very high.

Long-term results after stapled hemorrhoidopexy: a survey study with mean follow-up of 12 years

BACKGROUND

Hemorrhoidal prolapse is a common benign disease. The introduction of circular-stapled hemorrhoidopexy as an alternative to the conventional hemorrhoidectomy led to a new spectrum of postoperative outcomes and complications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate long-term results after stapled hemorrhoidopexy.

METHODS

All the patients who had stapled hemorrhoidopexy using a PPH03 stapler, from January 2003 to December 2005, were retrospectively collected in a dedicated database. Between March and May 2016, all the patients were asked by phone to complete a questionnaire. The study evaluated anatomical recurrence, symptom recurrence and frequency, and satisfaction after surgery. The postoperative complications recorded were hemorrhage, hematoma, urinary retention, anastomotic stenosis, persistent anal pain, tenesmus, and impaired anal continence evaluated also with the Faecal Incontinence Severity Index score.

RESULTS

One hundred and ninety four patients were identified and 171 completed the questionnaire. The mean follow-up was 12 ± 0.8 years (range 11-13 years). Anatomical self-reported prolapse recurrence was 40.9% (n = 70). In 75.6% (n = 129) of patients, the severity and frequency of symptoms improved. The overall complication rate was 56.7% (n = 40) with a serious adverse event rate of 8.7% (n = 15). The overall tenesmus rate was 38.2% (n = 65) and the overall impaired continence rate was 39.1% (n = 67). Medical therapy was still required occasionally by 40.3% (n = 69) of the patients and 9.3% (n = 16) of the patients underwent surgery for recurrence. Patient satisfaction rate was good (≥ 3 on a scale of 1 to 5) in 81.2% (n = 139) of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed that stapled hemorrhoidopexy using the first-generation devices is safe and feasible but associated with a high recurrence and incontinence rate. More stringent selection criteria in association with the use of large volume devices can lead to better results in the future.

Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy: Results at 10-Year Follow-up

BACKGROUND

Despite the advantages of stapled hemorrhoidopexy reported in the literature in terms of postoperative pain, hospital stay, and duration of convalescence, it was described to have a higher recurrence rate compared with conventional hemorrhoidectomy.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction after stapled hemorrhoidopexy at 10-year follow-up.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort analysis conducted on prospectively collected data.

SETTINGS

The study was conducted at a single tertiary care center.

PATIENTS

Eighty-six consecutive patients treated with stapled hemorrhoidopexy for grade 3 hemorrhoidal prolapse between January and December 2006 were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patients satisfaction and recurrence rates were measured.

RESULTS

Eighty-six patients (45 men and 41 women; median age, 49 y (range, 31-74 y)) underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy. Eight patients had urinary retention during the immediate postoperative period, and 2 patients required a reoperation for suture line bleeding. The median hospital stay was 12 hours (range, 12-96 h). No suture line dehiscence, rectovaginal fistula, pelvic sepsis, anal abscess, or anal stenosis was recorded during the follow-up. Seventy-seven patients (90%) completed the expected follow-up, with a median duration of 119.0 months (range 115.4-121.8 mo). Among them, 30 patients (39%) experienced a recurrent hemorrhoidal prolapse, 8 of whom needed a reoperation. Thirty-four patients (44%) reported urge to defecate with a median visual analog scale of 1 (range, 1-7). Six patients (8%) reported gas leakage at the last follow-up visit, whereas no liquid or solid stool leakage was recorded. Satisfaction rate at 10-year follow-up was 68%.

LIMITATIONS

The study was limited by its small sample size and lack of a control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The high recurrence rate and low patient satisfaction rate showed that stapled hemorrhoidopexy reduces its efficacy in the long-term. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A510.

Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization Versus Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy: Long-Term Follow-up of a Prospective Randomized Study

Aim. This study aims to compare the early and late outcomes of transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD) versus stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) for the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease. Methods. From January 2013 to December 2014, 100 patients—50 patients on each arm—were randomly allocated to THD or SH groups. The inclusion criteria were grade III and IV hemorrhoids diagnosed by clinical examination and proctoscopy. The primary outcome was to compare the recurrence rate with a minimum follow-up of 2 years, and the secondary outcome was to compare complications rate, time to return to work postsurgery, procedure length, and patient’s satisfaction between the 2 techniques. Results. The mean follow-up period was 33.7 ± 7.6. The recurrence rate was 4% in the SH group and 16% in the THD group ( P = .04). There was no difference in the intraoperative and postoperative complications rate; the pain score was significantly higher in the THD group. The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the SH group compared with the THD group. Patients in the THD group returned to work or routine activities significantly later compared with patients in the SH group. The overall satisfaction rate was also higher in the SH group. Conclusion. Both procedures are simple and easy to perform for the treatment of grade III and IV hemorrhoids. SH showed better results in terms of lower rate of recurrence, lower postoperative pain, quicker return to work, and higher patient satisfaction.

The HubBLe Trial: haemorrhoidal artery ligation (HAL) versus rubber band ligation (RBL) for symptomatic second- and third-degree haemorrhoids: a multicentre randomised controlled trial and health-economic evaluation

BACKGROUND

Optimal surgical intervention for low-grade haemorrhoids is unknown. Rubber band ligation (RBL) is probably the most common intervention. Haemorrhoidal artery ligation (HAL) is a novel alternative that may be more efficacious.

OBJECTIVE

The comparison of HAL with RBL for the treatment of grade II/III haemorrhoids.

DESIGN

A multicentre, parallel-group randomised controlled trial.

PERSPECTIVE

UK NHS and Personal Social Services.

SETTING

17 NHS Trusts.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients aged ≥ 18 years presenting with grade II/III (second- and third-degree) haemorrhoids, including those who have undergone previous RBL.

INTERVENTIONS

HAL with Doppler probe compared with RBL.

OUTCOMES

Primary outcome - recurrence at 1 year post procedure; secondary outcomes - recurrence at 6 weeks; haemorrhoid severity score; European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, 5-level version (EQ-5D-5L); Vaizey incontinence score; pain assessment; complications; and cost-effectiveness.

RESULTS

A total of 370 participants entered the trial. At 1 year post procedure, 30% of the HAL group had evidence of recurrence compared with 49% after RBL [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42 to 3.51; p = 0.0005]. The main reason for the difference was the number of extra procedures required to achieve improvement/cure. If a single HAL is compared with multiple RBLs then only 37.5% recurred in the RBL arm (adjusted OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.15; p = 0.20). Persistence of significant symptoms at 6 weeks was lower in both arms than at 1 year (9% HAL and 29% RBL), suggesting significant deterioration in both groups over the year. Symptom score, EQ-5D-5L and Vaizey score improved in both groups compared with baseline, but there was no difference between interventions. Pain was less severe and of shorter duration in the RBL group; most of the HAL group who had pain had mild to moderate pain, resolving by 3 weeks. Complications were low frequency and not significantly different between groups. It appeared that HAL was not cost-effective compared with RBL. In the base-case analysis, the difference in mean total costs was £1027 higher for HAL. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were higher for HAL; however, the difference was very small (0.01) resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £104,427 per additional QALY.

CONCLUSIONS

At 1 year, although HAL resulted in fewer recurrences, recurrence was similar to repeat RBL. Symptom scores, complications, EQ-5D-5L and continence score were no different, and patients had more pain in the early postoperative period after HAL. HAL is more expensive and unlikely to be cost-effective in terms of incremental cost per QALY.

LIMITATIONS

Blinding of participants and site staff was not possible.

FUTURE WORK

The incidence of recurrence may continue to increase with time. Further follow-up would add to the evidence regarding long-term clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. The polysymptomatic nature of haemorrhoidal disease requires a validated scoring system, and the data from this trial will allow further assessment of validity of such a system. These data add to the literature regarding treatment of grade II/III haemorrhoids. The results dovetail with results from the eTHoS study [Watson AJM, Hudson J, Wood J, Kilonzo M, Brown SR, McDonald A, et al. Comparison of stapled haemorrhoidopexy with traditional excisional surgery for haemorrhoidal disease (eTHoS): a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2016, in press.] comparing stapled haemorrhoidectomy with excisional haemorrhoidectomy. Combined results will allow expansion of analysis, allowing surgeons to tailor their treatment options to individual patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN41394716.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 88. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

A national evaluation of the management practices of hemorrhoidal disease in the Netherlands

PURPOSE

In this study, we describe current practices in the management of hemorrhoidal disease in the Netherlands.

METHODS

A validated online survey was performed among Dutch surgeons and residents treating hemorrhoidal disease. Contact details were retrieved from the Dutch Association for Surgery resulting in 619 contacts. Only doctors who were treating hemorrhoidal disease regularly were asked to complete the questionnaire. The following items were assessed: initial treatment, recurrence, complications, and follow-up.

RESULTS

In total, 133 respondents completed the survey. Ninety percent of the respondents started with rubber band ligation (RBL) as the first treatment in low-grade hemorrhoidal disease. In case of recurrence, 64% of the respondents repeated RBL three times before switching to a more invasive treatment modality. In grade III hemorrhoidal disease, the respondents preferred more invasive techniques: a sutured hemorrhoidopexy was performed in 24%, Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation (DG-HAL) in 9%, stapled hemorrhoidopexy in 19%, and the traditional hemorrhoidectomy in 31% of the patients, respectively. The majority of the respondents (39%) reported a mild complication in 5-10% of the patients. The most reported complication was pain. Nearly all the respondents (98%) reported a major complication in less than 5% of the patients. The majority of the patients (57%) were seen in outpatient clinics 6 weeks post-treatment.

CONCLUSION

This Dutch survey showed areas of common practice for primary treatment of hemorrhoidal disease. However, it also demonstrated varying practices regarding recurrent hemorrhoidal disease. Practical guidelines are required to support colorectal surgeons in the Netherlands.

Evaluation of the effectiveness and patients' contentment with transanal haemorrhoidal artery dearterialisation and mucopexy (THD) for treatment of haemorrhoidal disease: a 6-year study

INTRODUCTION

With high incidence of haemorrhoidal disease and significant complication rates of traditional haemorrhoidectomy procedures, transanal haemorrhoidal artery ligation and mucopexy (THD) emerges as a minimally invasive procedure with superior results. However, it is crucial that effectiveness of results and patient satisfaction be gauged based on post-operative experience, symptomology and recurrence.

AIM

Our aim is to provide a long-term analysis of efficacy and patient's satisfaction for the procedure, for the largest patient population, in correlation to presenting symptoms and degree of haemorrhoids.

METHOD

A prospective study was conducted for all the patients (324) that underwent THD between 2011 and 2016 in Naas General Hospital. The assessment was done for postoperative complications, symptoms pre- and postoperatively and patients' satisfaction rating. Clinical follow-up was done after 6 weeks and long-term follow-up by standardized questionnaire filled by telephonic clinic.

RESULTS

Of the 324 patients who underwent surgery, 256 (79.0%) participated in the study. There were 119 (46.5%) males and 137 (53.5%) females. The average age of patients was 48.40 years (17-82). Two hundred and fifteen (84.0%) patients had no recurrence. Forty-one (16.0%) had recurrence requiring further treatment. There was statistically significant higher recurrence in patients with grade 3 and 4 haemorrhoids and per-rectal bleeding (p < 0.05) while there was no statistically significant recurrence for age, gender, sedentary lifestyle and constipation/pruritus. Two hundred and twenty-four (87.5%) patients were completely satisfied from the procedure and highly recommend the procedure.

CONCLUSION

THD is a comparably pain-free procedure with improved results that prides in higher long-term satisfaction, minimal recurrence and fewer complications, in comparison to other surgical modalities.

Procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) with low rectal anastomosis using a PPH 03 stapler: low rate of recurrence and postoperative complications

PURPOSE

The procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) has the advantage of less postoperative pain. However, serious postoperative complications have been reported after PPH, and the postoperative recurrence rate is high in comparison with conventional Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy (MMH). The purpose of this study was to evaluate PPH with low rectal anastomosis (PPH-LA) in comparison with the original PPH and MMH.

METHODS

Among a total of 1315 patients with hemorrhoids, MMH was conducted in 322, original PPH using a PPH 01 stapler (PPH01) in 63, PPH-LA using 01 (PPH-LA01) in 236, 03 (PPH-LA03) in 649, and sclerotherapy (SCL) in 45.

RESULTS

Length of hospital stay and number of working days lost were significantly greater for MMH than for any form of PPH. The rate of massive postoperative bleeding was significantly lower after PPH-LA03 than after PPH01 or PPH-LA01. No serious postoperative complications occurred after any form of PPH. A significantly higher proportion of patients complained of continued prolapse after PPH01 than after MMH, PPH-LA01, or -LA03. The 5- and 16-year postoperative cumulative recurrence rates after PPH-LA03 were significantly lower than after PPH01.

CONCLUSIONS

The postoperative cumulative recurrence rate after PPH-LA03 is as low as that after MMH for up to 16 years, and compared with the original PPH01, the effectiveness is higher and the postoperative cumulative recurrence rate for up to 16 years is significantly lower. We conclude that PPH-LA03 is a superior procedure for hemorrhoids, having less postoperative pain and a low rate of recurrence.

Does a more extensive mucosal excision prevent haemorrhoidal recurrence after stapled haemorrhoidopexy? Long-term outcome of a randomized controlled trial

AIM

The study aimed in a multicentric randomized controlled trial to define the role of a more extensive mucosal resection on recurrence of mucosal prolapse in patients with Stage III haemorrhoids undergoing stapled haemorrhoidopexy.

METHOD

In all, 135 patients were randomized to treatment with a PPH-01/03 (Ethicon EndoSurgery) or an EEA (Covidien) stapler. They were reviewed after a minimum follow-up of 4 years to determine the rate of recurrent mucosal prolapse and general condition (wellness evaluation score). Postoperative bowel dysfunction was assessed using the Rome III criteria.

RESULTS

Eighty-seven (65%) of the 135 patients (48 in the EEA stapler group and 37 in the PPH group) were available for long-term follow-up. The two groups were comparable for age, gender and duration of follow-up (mean 49.3 ± 5.4 months and 49.0 ± 5.3 months respectively). In the EEA group, 11 (23%) patients had some degree of recurrent prolapse compared with 12 (32%) in the PPH group (P = 0.409). Persistence of anal bleeding was significantly higher in the PPH group (P = 0.04) while the postoperative Haemorrhoid Symptom Score was significantly better in the EEA group (1.73 ± 1.65 vs 3.17 ± 1.94, P < 0.001). The wellness evaluation score was significantly better in the EEA group (1.2 ± 1.27 vs 0.6 ± 1.0, P = 0.028). Furthermore, 7 (15%) of the patients in the EEA group complained of some evacuation disturbance compared with 13 (36%) in the PPH group (P = 0.021).

CONCLUSION

The study failed to demonstrate any significant difference in the long-term recurrence rate of Stage III haemorrhoids using EEA or PPH. Nevertheless, use of the larger volume EEA provides better symptom resolution compared with PPH.

LONG TERM RESULTS AFTER STAPLED HEMORRHOIDOPEXY ALONE AND COMPLEMENTED BY EXCISIONAL HEMORRHOIDECTOMY: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Background:

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is associated with less postoperative pain and faster recovery. However, it may be associated with a greater risk of symptomatic recurrence. We hypothesized that undertaking a limited surgical excision of hemorrhoid disease after stapling may be a valid approach for selected patients.

Aim:

To compare long-term results after stapled hemorrhoidopexy with and without complementation with closed excisional technique.

Method:

In a retrospective uni-institutional cohort study, sixty-five (29 men) patients underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy and 21 (13 men) underwent stapled hemorrhoidopexy with excision. The same surgeons operated on all cases. Patients underwent stapled hemorrhoidectomy associated with excisional surgery if symptoms attributable to external hemorrhoid piles were observed preoperatively, or if residual prolapse or bulky external disease was observed after the firing of the stapler. A closed excisional diathermy hemorrhoidectomy without vascular ligation was utilized in all complemented cases. All clinical variables were obtained from a questionnaire evaluation obtained through e-mail, telephone interview, or office follow-up.

Results:

The median duration of postoperative follow-up was 48.5 (6-40) months. Patients with grades 3 and 4 hemorrhoid disease were operated on more frequently using stapled hemorrhoidopexy complemented with excisional technique (95.2% vs. 55.4%, p=0.001). Regarding respectively stapled hemorrhoidopexy and stapled hemorrhoidopexy complemented with excision, there was no difference between the techniques in relation to symptom recurrence (43% and 33%, p=0.45) and median interval between surgery and symptom recurrence (30 (8-84) and 38.8 (8-65) months, p=0.80). Eight (12.3%) patients were re-operated after stapled hemorrhoidopexy and 2 (9.6%), after hemorrhoidopexy with excision (p=0.78). Patient distribution in both groups according to the degree of postoperative satisfaction was similar (p=0.97).

Conclusion:

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy combined with an excisional technique was effective for more advanced hemorrhoid disease. The combination may have prevented symptomatic recurrence associated to stapled hemorrhoidopexy alone.

Protocol for the development of a Core Outcome Set (COS) for hemorrhoidal disease: an international Delphi study

PURPOSE

Over the last decade, many studies were performed regarding treatment options for hemorrhoidal disease. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) should have well-defined primary and secondary outcomes. However, the reported outcome measures are numerous and diverse. The heterogeneity of outcome definition in clinical trials limits transparency and paves the way for bias. The development of a core outcome set (COS) helps minimizing this problem. A COS is an agreed minimum set of outcomes that should be measured and reported in all clinical trials of a specific disease. The aim of this project is to generate a COS regarding the outcome of treatment after hemorrhoidal disease.

METHODS

A Delphi study will be performed by an international steering group healthcare professionals and patients with the intention to create a standard outcome set for future clinical trials for the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease. First, a literature review will be conducted to establish which outcomes are used in clinical trials for hemorrhoidal disease. Secondly, both healthcare professionals and patients will participate in several consecutive rounds of online questionnaires and a face-to-face meeting to refine the content of the COS.

DISCUSSION

Development of a COS for hemorrhoidal disease defines a minimum outcome-reporting standard and will improve the quality of research in the future.

Comparison of stapled haemorrhoidopexy with traditional excisional surgery for haemorrhoidal disease (eTHoS): a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Two commonly performed surgical interventions are available for severe (grade II-IV) haemorrhoids; traditional excisional surgery and stapled haemorrhoidopexy. Uncertainty exists as to which is most effective. The eTHoS trial was designed to establish the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of stapled haemorrhoidopexy compared with traditional excisional surgery.

METHODS

The eTHoS trial was a large, open-label, multicentre, parallel-group, pragmatic randomised controlled trial done in adult participants (aged 18 years or older) referred to hospital for surgical treatment for grade II-IV haemorrhoids. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either traditional excisional surgery or stapled haemorrhoidopexy. Randomisation was minimised according to baseline EuroQol 5 dimensions 3 level score (EQ-5D-3L), haemorrhoid grade, sex, and centre with an automated system to stapled haemorrhoidopexy or traditional excisional surgery. The primary outcome was area under the quality of life curve (AUC) measured with the EQ-5D-3L descriptive system over 24 months, assessed according to the randomised groups. The primary outcome measure was analysed using linear regression with adjustment for the minimisation variables. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80061723.

FINDINGS

Between Jan 13, 2011, and Aug 1, 2014, 777 patients were randomised (389 to receive stapled haemorrhoidopexy and 388 to receive traditional excisional surgery). Stapled haemorrhoidopexy was less painful than traditional excisional surgery in the short term and surgical complication rates were similar between groups. The EQ-5D-3L AUC score was higher in the traditional excisional surgery group than the stapled haemorrhoidopexy group over 24 months; mean difference -0·073 (95% CI -0·140 to -0·006; p=0·0342). EQ-5D-3L was higher for stapled haemorrhoidopexy in the first 6 weeks after surgery, the traditional excisional surgery group had significantly better quality of life scores than the stapled haemorrhoidopexy group. 24 (7%) of 338 participants who received stapled haemorrhoidopexy and 33 (9%) of 352 participants who received traditional excisional surgery had serious adverse events.

INTERPRETATION

As part of a tailored management plan for haemorrhoids, traditional excisional surgery should be considered over stapled haemorrhoidopexy as the surgical treatment of choice.

FUNDING

National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Documented complications of staple hemorrhoidopexy: a systematic review

A systematic review addressing reported complications of stapled hemorrhoidopexy was conducted. Articles were identified via searching OVID and MEDLINE between July 2011 and October 2013. Limitations were placed on the search criteria with articles published from 1998 to 2013 being included in this review. No language restrictions were placed on the search, however foreign language articles were not translated. Two reviewers independently screened the abstracts for relevance and their suitability for inclusion. Data extraction was conducted by both reviewers and entered and analyzed in Microsoft Excel. The search identified 784 articles and 78 of these were suitable for inclusion in the review. A total of 14,232 patients underwent a stapled hemorrhoidopexy in this review. Overall complication rates of stapled hemorrhoidopexy ranged from 3.3%-81% with 5 mortalities documented. Early and late complications were defined individually with overall data suggesting that early complications ranged from 2.3%-58.9% and late complications ranged from 2.5%-80%. Complications unique to the procedure were identified and rates recorded. Both early and late complications unique to stapled hemorrhoidopexy were identified and assessed.

[Anopexy according to Longo for hemorrhoids]

The treatment for hemorrhoids ranges from conservative management to surgical procedures. The procedures are tailored to the individual grading of hemorrhoids and the individual complaints. The standard Goligher classification of the hemorrhoids is the basis for further treatment and no differentiation is made between segmental hemorrhoids and circular hemorrhoids. In the case of advanced circular hemorrhoid disease the surgical procedure with a stapler, so-called stapler anopexy, is the procedure of choice.

Haemorrhoidal artery ligation versus rubber band ligation for the management of symptomatic second-degree and third-degree haemorrhoids (HubBLe): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Optimum surgical intervention for low-grade haemorrhoids is unknown. Haemorrhoidal artery ligation (HAL) has been proposed as an efficacious, safe therapy while rubber band ligation (RBL) is a commonly used outpatient treatment. We compared recurrence after HAL versus RBL in patients with grade II-III haemorrhoids.

METHODS

This multicentre, open-label, parallel group, randomised controlled trial included patients from 17 acute UK NHS trusts. We screened patients aged 18 years or older presenting with grade II-III haemorrhoids. We excluded patients who had previously received any haemorrhoid surgery, more than one injection treatment for haemorrhoids, or more than one RBL procedure within 3 years before recruitment. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (in a 1:1 ratio) to either RBL or HAL with Doppler. Randomisation was computer-generated and stratified by centre with blocks of random sizes. Allocation concealment was achieved using a web-based system. The study was open-label with no masking of participants, clinicians, or research staff. The primary outcome was recurrence at 1 year, derived from the patient's self-reported assessment in combination with resource use from their general practitioner and hospital records. Recurrence was analysed in patients who had undergone one of the interventions and been followed up for at least 1 year. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN41394716.

FINDINGS

From Sept 9, 2012, to May 6, 2014, of 969 patients screened, 185 were randomly assigned to the HAL group and 187 to the RBL group. Of these participants, 337 had primary outcome data (176 in the RBL group and 161 in the HAL group). At 1 year post-procedure, 87 (49%) of 176 patients in the RBL group and 48 (30%) of 161 patients in the HAL group had haemorrhoid recurrence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2·23, 95% CI 1·42-3·51; p=0·0005). The main reason for this difference was the number of extra procedures required to achieve improvement (57 [32%] participants in the RBL group and 23 [14%] participants in the HAL group had a subsequent procedure for haemorrhoids). The mean pain 1 day after procedure was 3·4 (SD 2·8) in the RBL group and 4·6 (2·8) in the HAL group (difference -1·2, 95% CI -1·8 to -0·5; p=0·0002); at day 7 the scores were 1·6 (2·3) in the RBL group and 3·1 (2·4) in the HAL group (difference -1·5, -2·0 to -1·0; p<0·0001). Pain scores did not differ between groups at 21 days and 6 weeks. 15 individuals reported serious adverse events requiring hospital admission. One patient in the RBL group had a pre-existing rectal tumour. Of the remaining 14 serious adverse events, 12 (7%) were among participants treated with HAL and two (1%) were in those treated with RBL. Six patients had pain (one treated with RBL, five treated with HAL), three had bleeding not requiring transfusion (one treated with RBL, two treated with HAL), two in the HAL group had urinary retention, two in the HAL group had vasovagal upset, and one in the HAL group had possible sepsis (treated with antibiotics).

INTERPRETATION

Although recurrence after HAL was lower than a single RBL, HAL was more painful than RBL. The difference in recurrence was due to the need for repeat bandings in the RBL group. Patients (and health commissioners) might prefer such a course of RBL to the more invasive HAL.

FUNDING

NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme.

Guidelines for the treatment of hemorrhoids (short report)

Hemorrhoids are a common medical problem that is often considered as benign. The French Society of Colo-Proctology (Société nationale française de colo-proctologie [SNFCP]) recently revised its recommendations for the management of hemorrhoids (last issued in 2001), based on the literature and consensual expert opinion. We present a short report of these recommendations. Briefly, medical treatment, including dietary fiber, should always be proposed in first intention and instrumental treatment only if medical treatment fails, except in grade ≥III prolapse. Surgery should be the last resort, and the patient well informed of the surgical alternatives, including the possibility of elective ambulatory surgery, if appropriate. Postoperative pain should be prevented by the systematic implementation of a pudendal block and multimodal use of analgesics.

Review of Hemorrhoid Disease: Presentation and Management

Symptomatic hemorrhoid disease is one of the most prevalent ailments associated with significant impact on quality of life. Management options for hemorrhoid disease are diverse, ranging from conservative measures to a variety of office and operating-room procedures. In this review, the authors will discuss the anatomy, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of hemorrhoid disease.

Complications Following Anorectal Surgery

Anorectal surgery is well tolerated. Rates of minor complications are relatively high, but major postoperative complications are uncommon. Prompt identification of postoperative complications is necessary to avoid significant patient morbidity. The most common acute complications include bleeding, infection, and urinary retention. Pelvic sepsis, while may result in dramatic morbidity and even mortality, is relatively rare. The most feared long-term complications include fecal incontinence, anal stenosis, and chronic pelvic pain.

Tailored prolapse surgery for the treatment of hemorrhoids with a new dedicated device: TST Starr plus

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to assess the results of the stapled transanal procedure in the treatment of hemorrhoidal prolapse in terms of postoperative complications and recurrence rate using a new dedicated device, TST Starr plus.

METHODS

Patients affected by III-IV degree hemorrhoidal prolapsed that underwent stapled transanal resection with the TST Starr plus were included in the present study. Results of the procedure with perioperative complications, postoperative complications, and recurrence rate were reported.

RESULTS

From November 2012 to October 2014, 52 patients (19 females) were enrolled in the study. The main symptoms were prolapse (100 %) and bleeding (28.8 %). Transanal rectal resection was performed with parachute technique in 24 patients (46.2 %) and purse string technique in 23 patients (53.8 %). A mild hematoma at the suture line occurred in one patient (1.9 %). Postoperative bleeding was reported in three patients (5.7 %), in one of which, reoperation was necessary (1.9 %). Tenesmus occurred in one patient (1.9 %), and it was resolved with medical therapy. Urgency was reported in nine patients (17.1 %) at 7 days after surgery. Of these, three patients (5.7 %) complained urgency at the median follow-up of 14.5 months. Reoperation was performed in one patient (1.9 %) for chronic anal pain for rigid suture fixed on the deep plans. Occasional bleeding was reported in four patients (7.7 %). No recurrence of prolapse was reported at a median of 14.5 months after surgery, even if one patient (1.9 %) had a partial recurrent prolapse of a downstaged single pile.

CONCLUSIONS

TST Starr plus seems to be safe and effective for a tailored transanal stapled surgery for the treatment of III-IV degree hemorrhoidal prolapse. The new conformation and innovative technology of the stapler seems to reduce some postoperative complications and recurrence rate.

Proctitis after stapled hemorrhoidopexy is an underestimated complication of a widely used surgical procedure: a retrospective observational cohort study in 129 patients

Background

Hemorrhoidal disease is highly prevalent in the western world. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy also known as the procedure for prolapsed hemorrhoids (pph) has been shown to be superior to conventional hemorrhoidectomy with regard to postoperative pain, length of hospital stay and early return to work. Proctitis following stapled hemorrhoidopexy has not been reported previously. Herein, we report our experience with proctitis in patients following stapled hemorrhoidopexy and question if proctitis could be a complication of stapled hemorrhoidopexy.

Materials and methods

A retrospective analysis of the data of patients undergoing stapled hemorrhoidopexy with the PPH03 in the coloproctology unit of the department of surgery of a primary care hospital in Germany within a 5-year period was performed. All cases were managed and followed up by a single attending surgeon with expertise in coloproctology.

Results

129 patients were included for analysis including 21 cases with grade 2, 103 cases of grade 3 and 5 cases of grade 4 hemorrhoids. The median duration of surgery was 20 min. 17 complications including two recurrences were recorded. Post-pph proctitis was recorded in 14 cases (10.9 %). Post-pph proctitis was not associated with gender, extent of hemorrhoidal disease, BMI and ASA (p >0.05). All cases recovered within 4 weeks following management with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and suppositories.

Conclusion

Proctitis could be a complication of stapled hemorrhoidopexy with a good response to conservative treatment with suppositories.

Evaluation and management of hemorrhoids: Italian society of colorectal surgery (SICCR) consensus statement

Hemorrhoids are one of the most common medical and surgical diseases and the main reason for a visit to a coloproctologist. This consensus statement was drawn up by the Italian society of colorectal surgery in order to provide practice parameters for an accurate assessment of the disease and consequent appropriate treatment. The authors made a careful search in the main databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane), and all results were classified on the basis of the grade of recommendation (A-C) of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Systematic review and network meta-analysis comparing clinical outcomes and effectiveness of surgical treatments for haemorrhoids

BACKGROUND

The aim was to compare the clinical outcomes and effectiveness of surgical treatments for haemorrhoids.

METHODS

Randomized clinical trials were identified by means of a systematic review. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method in WinBUGS.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight trials were included with 7827 participants and 11 surgical treatments for grade III and IV haemorrhoids. Open, closed and radiofrequency haemorrhoidectomies resulted in significantly more postoperative complications than transanal haemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD), LigaSure™ and Harmonic® haemorrhoidectomies. THD had significantly less postoperative bleeding than open and stapled procedures, and resulted in significantly fewer emergency reoperations than open, closed, stapled and LigaSure™ haemorrhoidectomies. Open and closed haemorrhoidectomies resulted in more pain on postoperative day 1 than stapled, THD, LigaSure™ and Harmonic® procedures. After stapled, LigaSure™ and Harmonic® haemorrhoidectomies patients resumed normal daily activities earlier than after open and closed procedures. THD provided the earliest time to first bowel movement. The stapled and THD groups had significantly higher haemorrhoid recurrence rates than the open, closed and LigaSure™ groups. Recurrence of haemorrhoidal symptoms was more common after stapled haemorrhoidectomy than after open and LigaSure™ operations. No significant difference was identified between treatments for anal stenosis, incontinence and perianal skin tags.

CONCLUSION

Open and closed haemorrhoidectomies resulted in more postoperative complications and slower recovery, but fewer haemorrhoid recurrences. THD and stapled haemorrhoidectomies were associated with decreased postoperative pain and faster recovery, but higher recurrence rates. The advantages and disadvantages of each surgical treatment should be discussed with the patient before surgery to allow an informed decision to be made.

Clinical application of procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids

As the sliding anal cushion theory is widely accepted, the procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) has been applied all over the world. PPH mainly involves restoring the normal anatomy of the anal canal by circular excision of the mucosa above the hemorrhoids. Therefore, the blood supply is partially blocked so that hemorrhoids will gradually shrink. PPH has many advantages such as rapid rehabilitation, minimal invasiveness, and good short-term outcome (early resumption, less rectal bleeding and postoperative pain). However, many retrospective studies and meta-analyses indicate that, compared with the traditional surgery, PPH still has a number of deficiencies, including relatively high costs, high rates of relapse in a long term and so on. This review discusses the strategies, postoperative complications and clinical application of PPH.

Surgical treatment of hemorrhoids: a critical appraisal of the current options

INTRODUCTION

Surgical treatment of hemorrhoids is still a dilemma. New techniques have been developed leading to a lower rate of postoperative pain; however, they are associated with a greater likelihood of recurrence.

AIM

To review current indications as well as the results and complications of the main techniques currently used in the surgical treatment of hemorrhoidal disease.

METHODS

A systematic search of the published data on the options for treatment of hemorrhoids up to December 2012 was conducted using Medline/PubMed, Cochrane, and UpToDate.

RESULTS

Currently available surgical treatment options include procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH), transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD), and conventional hemorrhoidectomy techniques. Excisional techniques showed similar results regarding pain, time to return to normal activities, and complication rates. PPH and THD were associated with less postoperative pain and lower complication rates; however, both had higher postoperative recurrence rates.

CONCLUSION

Conventional surgical techniques yield better long-term results. Despite good results in the immediate postoperative period, PPH and THD have not shown consistent long-term favorable results.

Recent advances in the management of hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are considered one of the most common anorectal diseases with a prevalence of 4.4% up to 36.4% of the general population, and a peak incidence between 45 and 65 years. Hemorrhoidal disease presents with a prolapsed lump, painless bleeding, discomfort, discharge, hygiene problems, soiling, and pruritus. Sliding anal canal lining theory is the most accepted theory as a cause of hemorrhoidal disease; however, it is also associated with hyper-vascularity, and, recently, with several enzymes or mediators involved in the disintegration of the tissues supporting the anal cushions, such as matrix metalloproteinase. A comprehensive search in published English-language literature till 2013 involving hemorrhoids was performed to construct this review article, which discusses advances in the management of hemorrhoids. This includes conservative treatment (life style modification, oral medications, and topical treatment), office procedures (rubber band ligation, injection sclerotherapy, infrared and radiofrequency coagulation, bipolar diathermy and direct-current electrotherapy, cryosurgery, and laser therapy), as well as surgical procedures including diathermy hemorrhoidectomy, LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy, Harmonic scalpel hemorrhoidectomy, hemorrhoidal artery ligation, stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH), and double SH. Results, merits and demerits of the different modalities of treatment of hemorrhoids are presented, in addition to the cost of the recent innovations.

Emborrhoid: a new concept for the treatment of hemorrhoids with arterial embolization: the first 14 cases

PURPOSE

The 'emborrhoid' technique consists of the embolization of the hemorrhoidal arteries. The endovascular arterial occlusion is performed using coils placed in the terminal branches of the superior rectal arteries. The emborrhoid technique has been modeled after elective transanal Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation which has been shown to be effective in hemorrhoidal disease. We report the first 14 cases of our experience with emborrhoid technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fourteen patients with disabling chronic rectal bleeding were treated using the emborrhoid technique (3 women, 11 men). The stage of the hemorrhoidal disease was II (10 patients), III (3), and IV (1). This treatment was decided by a multidisciplinary team (proctologist, visceral surgeon, and radiologist). Seven patients underwent previous proctological surgery. Ten patients had coagulation disorders (anticoagulants or cirrhosis). Superior rectal arteries were embolized with pushable microcoils (0.018).

RESULTS

Technical success of the embolization procedure was 100 %. Clinical success at 1 month was 72 % (10/14). Of the 4 patients who experienced rebleeding, two underwent additional embolization of the posterior rectal arteries with success. No pain or ischemic complications were observed in 13 patients. One patient experienced a temporary painful and edematous, perianal reaction.

CONCLUSION

Our case studies suggest that coil embolization of the superior rectal arteries is technically feasible, safe and well tolerated. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this new 'emborrhoid' technique in the management of hemorrhoidal disease.

A prospective and comparative study between stapled hemorrhoidopexy and hemorrhoidal artery ligation with mucopexy

AIM

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy between stapled hemorrhoidopexy (Longo technique) and transanal hemorrhoidal artery ligation with mucopexy (THDm) in the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From June 2009 to January 2011, 81 patients having grade II or III hemorrhoidal disease underwent prospective evaluation followed by surgery at two centers (27 Longo and 54 THDm). Symptoms (bleeding, tenesmus, prolapse, fecal incontinence, pain) and the satisfaction score were compared on the first post-operative day and at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months thereafter. The follow-up was 24 months.

RESULTS

There was no difference in mean length of stay. One complication (recto-vaginal fistula) was observed after Longo. The prolapse score was significantly lower after THDm than after Longo on the first post-operative day (P < 0.0015). Bleeding score after THDm was significantly lower on the first post-operative day (P = 0.04), but higher thereafter (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04). Tenesmus score after THDm was significantly lower for the first three months (P < 0.06 and 0.001). On the first post-operative day and at one month, the visual analog pain score was significantly lower after THDm than that after Longo (P < 0.0003 et P < 0.01). On the first post-operative day and at one month, the satisfaction score was higher after THDm than after Longo (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

THDm was safe and effective. Short-term outcomes after THDm were better than after Longo but long-term results seemed to be similar.

Circular vs. three-quadrant hemorrhoidectomy for end-stage hemorrhoids: short- and long-term outcomes of a prospective randomized trial

PURPOSE

Circumferential excisional hemorrhoidectomy (CEH) enables the surgeon to remove the encircling hemorrhoids completely. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of CEH with that of Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy (FH) for end-stage hemorrhoids.

METHODS

Between February 1998 and December 2011, a prospective randomized trial was conducted with 688 patients who presented with end-stage hemorrhoids and underwent FH or CEH at our center.

RESULTS

The patient demographics, mean operative times, lengths of hospital stay, and cumulative rates of postoperative complications were similar in the study groups. Significant differences were revealed in the incidence of postoperative hemorrhage (9 vs. 0 patients in the FH and CEH groups, respectively; p = 0.002) and in the tendency to form anal stricture (15 vs. 32 patients in the FH and CEH groups, respectively; p = 0.02). However, all cases of anal strictures were easily managed by digital dilatations. At a mean follow-up of 7.4 (range, 1-14) years, accessible patients from the CEH group remained symptom free, whereas 126 of 308 patients in the FH group indicated that they had recurrent hemorrhoidal symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Without increasing postoperative complications, CEH demonstrates an advantage compared with FH, with regard to reducing the rate of recurrence to 0 through complete hemorrhoid removal.