Results of 666 consecutive patients treated with LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy for symptomatic prolapsed hemorrhoids with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Surgery. 2013;153:211-218. [PMID: 22910492 DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2012.06.035]

Surgical Outcomes of LigaSure Hemorrhoidectomy in the Elderly Population: A retrospective cohort study

Background

This study aims to assess the association between age and outcomes in patients undergoing hemorrhoidectomy.

Methods

This is a population-based cohort study. A retrospectively collected database with consecutive patients whose symptomatic prolapsed hemorrhoids managed by the LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy between Jan. 2015 and May 2017 was reviewed. Among 1238 patients, 1075 were under 65 years old (group 1), and 163 were 65 years old or older (group 2). Both groups were compared regarding baseline characteristics and surgical outcomes.

Results

All patients tolerated the whole course of the operation in the prone jackknife position without anesthetic-associated complications. There was no significant difference between these two groups regarding sex, hemorrhoids grade, operation time, duration of hospital stays, postoperative pain score, analgesic consumption, total postoperative complications, re-admission rate, reoperation rate and follow-up times. The multivariate logistic regression analysis that may contribute to postoperative complications revealed no significant difference for all complications between both groups.

Conclusion

The LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy for elderly patients is safe and effective without significant difference in short-term operative outcomes and all complication rates, compared with younger patients.

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.

Clinical benefits of vessel sealing system (LigaSure™) during surgery for soft tissue sarcoma: a propensity score matching analysis

BACKGROUND

Soft tissue sarcomas arise in the deep sites of the buttocks and lower extremities. Since a tourniquet is not applied during surgery for soft tissue sarcomas at such sites, excessive intraoperative blood loss may occur. Various devices, including LigaSure™ (Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland), are used as electrothermal bipolar vessel sealers. However, its clinical relevance in soft tissue sarcomas surgery remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of LigaSure™ in soft tissue sarcomas surgery.

METHODS

This study included 168 patients who underwent surgeries for soft tissue sarcomas in the deep sites in the buttocks and lower extremities between January 2004 and March 2018. The primary outcome was intraoperative blood loss, and secondary outcomes were surgery duration, wound complications, perioperative haemoglobin concentrations and intraoperative blood transfusion. To reduce selection biases, propensity score matching was applied. We defined the matched cases wherein LigaSure™ was used as the 'using group' and the other matched cases as the 'non-using group'. Outcomes were compared between both groups.

RESULTS

From each group, 35 cases were selected using propensity score matching. The intraoperative blood loss was significantly smaller statistically in the using group (181.5 ± 240.4 ml vs. 394.7 ± 547.3 ml, respectively; P = 0.041). The duration of operation was longer in the using group (189.9 ± 97.6 min vs. 140.6 ± 75.7 min, respectively; P = 0.007). There were no significant differences in other outcomes.

CONCLUSION

By using LigaSure™ for soft tissue sarcomas occurring in the buttocks and lower extremities, we observed a trade-off between reduced intraoperative blood loss and longer operative time.

Long-Term Outcomes of Sectorial Longitudinal Augmented Prolapsectomy for Asymmetric Muco-hemorrhoidal Prolapse: An Observational Study of 433 Consecutive Patients

PURPOSE

Hemorrhoidal disease (HD) is a widespread condition severely influencing patients' quality of life. Recently, the large diffusion of stapled hemorrhoidopexy has revealed a new unexpected pathological entity: the asymmetric mucosal prolapse. We aimed to assess the outcomes of the sectorial longitudinal augmented prolapsectomy (SLAP), a technique dedicated to asymmetric prolapse, in terms of HD symptoms, prolapse recurrence, and rectal stenosis.

METHODS

Patients affected by III-IV-degree symptomatic HD with asymmetric mucosal prolapse undergone SLAP of 1 or 2 hemorrhoidal columns (SLAP1 or SLAP2) were retrospectively assessed. The severity of hemorrhoid symptoms and fecal continence status were evaluated before and after surgery. Mean outcome was evaluation of medium-long-term outcomes as the occurrence of recurrence and anal or rectal stenosis. Secondary outcome was the evaluation of postoperative bleeding, reoperation rate, length of hospitalization, fecal urgency, and time to return to work.

RESULTS

We enrolled 433 patients (277 SLAP1 and 156 SLAP2). Hemorrhoidal symptoms recurrence was reported in 9 patients undergone SLAP1 and 4 patients undergone SLAP2, while prolapse recurrence occurred, respectively, in 4 and 2 patients. No major intraoperative complications occurred. An emergency reintervention for postoperative bleeding occurred in 13 cases undergone SLAP1 and in 5 patients treated with SLAP2. Fecal incontinence occurred in 8 and 4 cases of patients treated with SLAP1 and SLAP2.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of a simple hemorrhoidectomy to a mucosal rectal prolapsectomy should be part of every coloproctologist background. Promising and satisfying results can be achieved using SLAP for HD associated with asymmetric prolapse.

Prospective Randomized Study on Stapled Anopexy Height and Its Influence on Recurrence for Hemorrhoidal Disease Treatment

OBJECTIVES

To know the influence of the stapled line height (SLH) in the recurrence rate and the postoperative disturbances in stapled anopexy (SA) for the treatment of hemorrhoids.

DESIGN

Simple randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial. Randomization with closed-envelope technique in two groups with two different SLH.

SETTING

Colorectal Surgery Unit. Department of General Surgery. Hospital de Mataró (Barcelona, Spain).

PARTICIPANTS

119 patients with the diagnosis of symptomatic third- and fourth-grade hemorrhoids were included.

INTERVENTION

SA was performed with two different SLH: group A, 4.5 cm (58 patients) and group B, 6 cm (61 patients) from the external anal verge. Postoperative disturbances were evaluated by a colorectal surgeon who was blind for the randomization and pain was measured (visual analogic scale) one week and 3 months after surgery. Mean operative time, number of hemostatic stitches performed and resected mucosal area were considered as well. Mean follow-up was 11.05 ± 1.6 years.

RESULTS

Differences between the operative time and resected mucosa-submucosa area were not found. The patients of group A needed a significantly higher number of stitches for intraoperative bleeding control along the stapled line. We did not found differences between both groups in terms of postoperative pain neither anorectal disturbances. At the follow-up, persistence of symptomatology was 10.41% in group A and 10.71% in group B, without statistically significance. Neither mortality nor undesirable effects occurred in the series.

CONCLUSIONS

SLH do not influence the recurrence rate neither the postoperative evolution in SA.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials NCT03383926.

Lower GI Bleeding: An Update on Incidences and Causes

Bleeding from the lower gastrointestinal tract represents a significant source of morbidity and mortality. The colon represents the vast majority of the location of bleeding with only a much smaller incidence occurring in the small intestine. The major causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) are from diverticulosis, vascular malformations, and cancer. We discuss the incidence and causes of LGIB.

Circular mucosal anopexy: Experience and technical considerations

INTRODUCTION

Circular mucosal anopexy (CMA) achieves a more comfortable postoperative period than resective techniques. But complications and recurrences are not infrequent. This study aims to evaluate of the efficacy of CMA in the treatment of hemorrhoids and rectal mucosal prolapse (RMP).

METHOD

From 1999 to 2011, 613 patients underwent surgery for either hemorrhoids or RMP in our hospital. CMA was performed in 327 patients. Gender distribution was 196 male and 131 female. Hemorrhoidal grades were distributed as follows: 28 patients had RMP, 46 2nd grade, 146 3rd grade and 107 4th grade. Major ambulatory surgery (MAS) was performed in 79.9%. Recurrence of hemorrhoids was studied and groups of recurrence and no-recurrence were compared. Postoperative pain was evaluated by Visual Analogical Scale (VAS) as well as early complications.

RESULTS

A total of 31 patients needed reoperation (5 RMP, 2 with 2nd grade, 17 with 3rd grade,/with 4th grade). No statistically significant differences were found between the non-recurrent group and the recurrent group with regards to gender, surgical time or hemorrhoidal grade, but there were differences related to age. In the VAS, 81.3% of patients expressed a postoperative pain ≤ 2 at the first week. Five patients needed reoperation for early postoperative bleeding. Six patients needed admission for postoperative pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Recurrence rate is higher in CMA than in resective techniques. CMA is a useful technique for the treatment of hemorrhoids in MAS. Pain and the rate of complications are both low.

Spasmolysis therapy after Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy

Pain after hemorrhoid surgery is the most common postoperative complication, significantly influencing patients' quality of life. Severe postoperative pain may still occur and continues to be the major concern of patients who are unwilling to undergo the surgery. Anal sphincter hypertonicity has been identified as a major influencing factor for increased pain after surgery. Since persistent internal anal sphincter spasm is a major factor responsible for the genesis of pain, relieving internal anal sphincter spasm is considered to be an effective method to ease the pain. Currently, multiple treatments have been used to manage pain after haemorrhoidal surgery, including sphincterotomy, botulinum toxin, glyceryl trinitrate, and calcium channel blockers. Haemorrhoidectomy coupled with spasmolysis therapy can significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and improve the quality of life.