Day case stapled haemorrhoidopexy for prolapsing haemorrhoids

OBJECTIVE: Conventional surgical management of prolapsing haemorrhoids is by excisional haemorrhoidectomy. Postoperative pain has restricted the application of such procedures in the day case setting. These operations remain associated with a period of restricted activity. The use of circular stapling devices as an alternative to the excisional approach in the management of haemorrhoids has been described. This study reports our experience of stapled haemorrhoidopexy as a day case procedure. METHODS: Patients with third or fourth degree haemorrhoids were eligible for the procedure. Patients were considered suitable candidates for day case surgery based on conventional parameters. Symptoms were assessed using a previously validated symptom severity rating score. Stapled haemorrhoidopexy was carried out using a circular stapling device. Pain scores were obtained prior to discharge. Patients were admitted if pain was uncontrolled despite oral analgesia. Symptoms were re-scored at six-week follow-up. RESULTS: Over a 70-month period 168 consecutive stapled haemorrhoidopexies were performed or directly supervised by one consultant colorectal surgeon. One hundred and ten (65%) patients were considered appropriate candidates for day case surgery by conventional criteria. Ninety-six (87.3%) patients successfully underwent stapled haemorrhoidopexy on a day case basis. Fourteen (12.7%) patients required admission on the day of surgery (5 for early postoperative bleeding, 4 for pain necessitating continuing opiate analgesia, two for urinary retention and three for surgery performed late in the day). Six (5%) patients were re-admitted postoperatively; four for pain relief and two because of urinary retention. Of the day case patients, 91 (82.7%) and 56 (50.9%) had been seen for 6 week and 6 month review, respectively, at the time of analysis. Symptom scores were 6 (pre-operatively) vs 0 (postoperatively) (P < 0.01). 76/91 (83.5%) patients reviewed at 6/52 were asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: Stapled haemorrhoidopexy is a safe and effective procedure that can be carried out on selected patients on a day case basis. Complications are of a similar nature to excisional haemorrhoidectomy.     

复方角菜酸酯栓在痔上黏膜环形切除钉合术后的临床应用评价

目的评价复方角菜酸酯栓对缓解痔上黏膜环形切除钉合术(PPH)后患者早期不适症状方面的疗效。方法选取2002年11月至2003年7月行PPH的80例患者,随机分为治疗组(复方角菜酸酯栓组,42例)和对照组(常规处理组,38例),分别记录两组患者术后24h和第6及第12天时的症状改善情况、术后24h有无尿潴留情况、术后首次排便时间、试验结束时伤口愈合情况、住院时间和换药次数、停药及停药的原因以及伴随用药情况。结果术后24h治疗组患者症状总得分(4.4)较对照组(6.1)低,P<0.05。但至术后第6和第12天时,两组症状得分比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。治疗组患者在各时间点的症状得分减少值均高于对照组(P<0.05)。两组患者在术后24h出现尿潴留的比率和住院天数方面比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论复方角菜酸酯栓对于缓解PPH术后早期的不适症状效果良好。     

Prospective randomised study of urgent haemorrhoidectomy compared with non-operative treatment in the management of prolapsed thrombosed internal haemorrhoids

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcome of urgent haemorrhoidectomy with conservative treatment for prolapsed thrombosed internal haemorrhoids. METHODS: A prospective randomised study of 50 patients with prolapsed thrombosed internal haemorrhoids was carried out using clinical and ultrasonic outcome measures. Peri-operative bed occupancy and the presence of symptoms at 6 and 24 months were compared. Endoanal ultrasonic scanning was carried out to investigate anal sphincter integrity in those patients willing to be studied. RESULTS: The median length of hospital stay for the group treated conservatively; 2 nights (range 1-9 nights) was significantly shorter than for the group treated by urgent haemorrhoidectomy; 4 nights (range 1-12 nights, P < 0.01). There was no difference between treatment groups in the number of patients with symptoms at six or 24 months. Urgent haemorrhoidectomy was associated with a significantly higher incidence of endosonographically detected anal sphincter damage in 18 patients: 66%vs 0% (P = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment for prolapsed thrombosed internal haemorrhoids is associated with shorter in patient stay and less anal sphincter damage compared with operative treatment.     

硝酸甘油软膏在痔术后应用的疗效观察

【】目的：观察硝酸甘油软膏在痔术后应用的临床价值。方法：对痔术后患者进行随机分组,实验组手术结束后即给予硝酸甘油软膏,之后每天换药时给药,其余治疗和对照组一致,观察术后3、5、7d患者疼痛情况及额外止痛药物使用情况。结果：实验组(硝酸甘油软膏组)术后3、5、7d疼痛程度低于对照组,相比较有显著差异；额外止痛药物使用量低于对照组,两组相比较有显著差异。结论：硝酸甘油软膏应用于痔术后患者,能够有效缓解患者疼痛症状,减少额外止痛药物的使用,促进创面愈合,可以加以推广应用。     

Doppler‐guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation in patients with Crohn’s disease

Aim: The outcome of Doppler‐guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation (DGHAL) was assessed in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) suffering from grade III haemorrhoids. Method: A retrospective study was carried out of patients with CD and symptomatic Grade III haemorrhoids treated by DGHAL. Perioperative and follow‐up data were retrieved from our database of patients undergoing DGHAL. Results: The study included seven men and six women. The mean age was 34 years old. All had CD without anorectal involvement. The median duration of haemorrhoidal symptoms was 6.3 years. There was no mortality, new incontinence, faecal impaction, urinary retention, abscess formation or persistent pain following the procedure. Mean pain score based on a visual analogue scale (VAS) decreased from 2.4 at 24 h postoperatively to 1.6 on the seventh postoperative day. All patients had completely recovered by the third postoperative day. At 18 months, three (77%) of the patients were asymptomatic and three had recurrent symptoms. Conclusion: Doppler‐guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation is safe and effective in treating Grade III haemorrhoids in patients with CD without rectal involvement.     

Prospective randomized multicentre study comparing stapler haemorrhoidopexy with Doppler‐guided transanal haemorrhoid dearterialization for third‐degree haemorrhoids

Aim Doppler‐guided transanal haemorrhoid dearterialization (THD) and stapler haemorrhoidopexy (SH) have been demonstrated to be less painful than the Milligan–Morgan procedure. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of THD vs SH in the treatment of third‐degree haemorrhoids in an equivalent trial. Method One hundred and sixty‐nine patients with third‐degree haemorrhoids were randomized online to receive THD (n = 85) or SH (n = 84) in 10 Colorectal Units in which the staff were well trained in both techniques. The mean follow‐up period was 17 (range 15–20) months. Results Early minor postoperative complications occurred in 30.6% of patients in the THD group and in 32.1% of patients in the SH group. Milder spontaneous pain and pain on defecation were reported in the THD group in the first postoperative week, but this was not statistically significant. Late complications were significantly higher (P = 0.028) in the SH group. Residual haemorrhoids persisted in 12 patients in the THD group and in six patients in the SH group (P = 0.14). Six patients in the SH group and 10 in the THD group underwent further treatment of haemorrhoids (P = 0.34). No differences were found in postoperative incontinence. The obstructed defecation score (ODS) was significantly higher in the SH group (P < 0.02). Improvement in quality of life was similar in both groups. Postoperative in‐hospital stay was 1.14 days in the THD group and 1.31 days in the SH group (P = 0.03). Conclusion Both THD and SH techniques are effective for the treatment of third‐degree haemorrhoids in the medium term. THD has a better cost‐effective ratio and lower (not significant) pain compared with SH. Postoperative pain and recurrence did not differ significantly between the two groups.     

The pattern of functional and organic disorders in an Asian gastroenterological clinic

Abstract The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of structural and functional disorders encountered in an Asian gastroenterological clinic and to compare this pattern with findings from Western centres. Consecutive new patients (totalling 2384) attending the clinics of two consultant gastroenterologists were studied. Of these, 2141 suffered from gastroenterological problems. One thousand and sixty-three (49.6%) had structural diseases, the commoner ones being liver disease, peptic ulcer, malignancy, haemorrhoids and gallstones. The remainder who were found to have no structural disease ( n = 1078; 50.4%) were deemed to have functional disorders including non-ulcer dyspepsia, irritable bowel, simple constipation and functional diarrhoea. The proportions of functional and structural disease were similar to those in the West. Major differences included a higher frequency of hepatoma and a lower frequency of inflammatory bowel disease and gastro-oesophgeal reflux in the present series.     

Toilet reading habits in Israeli adults

Abstract  Although toilet reading (TR) is a common habit, the effect of TR on bowel movements is neglected in the medical literature. Our hypothesis was that TR provides a distraction and acts as an unconscious relaxation technique and allows an easier defecation process. The aim of this study was to assess how common is TR and to map the reading/playing toilet habits in the Israeli adult population. In addition, we aimed to explore a possible connection between TR and the nature of bowel habits in general and constipation and haemorrhoids in particular. Five hundred adults who represent the diverse demographic backgrounds have been asked to fill an anonymous short questionnaire. The subjects were questioned regarding their demographic details, their TR and playing habits, their bowel habits, whether they suffer from haemorrhoids and whether they use some sort of faecal softener. We found that TR is common and involves 52.7% of the population. Males, younger age, secular population, higher education level and white collar workers compose the TR profile. Although toilet readers spent significantly more time in the toilets, no differences were noted for the type or frequency of stools. Nevertheless, the TR group considered themselves to be less constipated (8.0% vs 13.7%) and had more haemorrhoids (23.6% vs 18.2%). These differences, however, were not significant. Toilet reading is a common and benign habit. It is involved with a longer time spent in the toilet. It seems to be more for fun and not necessarily to solve or due to medical problems.     

直肠前壁修补联合痔上黏膜环切术治疗女性直肠前突引起的出口梗阻型便秘的临床效果评价

目的:研究直肠前壁修补联合痔上黏膜环切术(PPH)治疗女性直肠前突引起的出口梗阻型便秘的临床价值。方法：将2004?008年在本院诊断并符合手术指征的女性直肠前突患者随机分为单纯直肠前壁修补和直肠前壁修补加PPH两组,分别观察其有效率和Longo’s ODS评分。结果：直肠前壁修补组总有效率为87.71%,直肠前壁修补加PPH组总有效率为97.5%,二者比较差异有显著性（P＜0.01）;直肠前壁修补术组Longo’s ODS评分由术前的17.34±2.77降至6.31±1.31,直肠前壁修补加PPH组Longo’s ODS评分由术前的17.25±2.81降至5.39±1.62,两组患者术后生活质量均有改善,但直肠前壁修补联合PPH效果明显优于单纯直肠前突修补术（P＜0.01）;两组患者均无严重手术并发症。结论：直肠前壁修补联合PPH是治疗女性直肠前突引起的出口梗阻型便秘的安全有效方法,优于单纯直肠前壁修补术。