Modified stapled hemorrhoidopexy for lower postoperative stenosis: A five-year experience

BACKGROUND Stapled hemorrhoidopexy(SH)is currently a widely accepted method for treating the prolapse of internal hemorrhoids.Postoperative anal stenosis is a critical complication of SH.A remedy for this involves the removal of the circumferential staples of the anastomosis,followed by the creation of a hand-sewn anastomosis.Numerous studies have reported modified SH procedures to improve outcomes.We hypothesized that our modified SH technique may help reduce complications of anal stenosis after SH.AIM To compare outcomes of staple removal at the 3-and 9-o’clock positions during modified SH in patients with mixed hemorrhoids.METHODS This was a single-center,retrospective,observational study.Patients with grade III or IV hemorrhoids who underwent standard or modified SH at our colorectal center between January 1,2015,and January 1,2020,were included.The operation time,blood loss,length of hospital stay,and incidence of minor or major complic-ations were recorded.RESULTS Patients with grade III or IV hemorrhoids who underwent standard or modified SH at our colorectal center between January 1,2015 and January 1,2020,were included.Operation time,blood loss,length of hospital stay,and incidence of minor or major complications were recorded.We investigated 187 patients(mean age,50.9 years)who had undergone our modified SH and 313 patients(mean age,53.0 years)who had undergone standard SH.In the modified SH group,54%of patients had previously undergone surgical intervention for hemorrhoids,compared with the 40.3%of patients in the standard SH group.The modified SH group included five(2.7%)patients with anal stenosis,while 21(6.7%)patients in the standard SH group had complications of anal stenosis.There was a significant relationship between the rate of postoperative anal stenosis and the modified SH:0.251(0.085-0.741)and 0.211(0.069-0.641)in multiple regression analysis.The modified SH technique is a safe surgical method for advanced grade hemorrhoids and might result in a lower rate of postoperative anal stenosis than standard SH.CONCLUSION The modified SH technique is a safe surgical method for advanced grade hemorrhoids and might result in a lower rate of postoperative anal stenosis than standard SH.

Meta-analysis of stapled hemorrhoidopexy vs LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy

AIM: To compare outcome of stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) vs LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy (LH) by a meta-analysis of available randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: Databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and the Science Citation Index updated to December 2012, were searched. The main outcomes measured were operating time, early postoperative pain, postoperative urinary retention and bleeding, wound problems, gas or fecal incontinence, anal stenosis, length of hospital stay, residual skin tags, prolapse, and recurrence. The meta-analysis was performed using the free software Review Manager. Differences observed between the two groups were expressed as the odds ratio (OR) with 95%CI. A fixedeffects model was used to pool data when statistical heterogeneity was not present. If statistical heterogeneity was present (P < 0.05), a random-effects model was used. RESULTS: The initial search identified 10 publica-tions. After screening, five RCTs published as full articles were included in this meta-analysis. Among the five studies, all described a comparison of the patient baseline characteristics and showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Although most of the analyzed outcomes were similar between the two operative techniques, the operating time for SH was significantly longer than for LH (P < 0.00001; OR= -6.39, 95%CI: -7.68 -5.10). The incidence of residual skin tags and prolapse was significantly lower in the LH group than in the SH group [2/111 (1.8%) vs 16/105 (15.2%); P = 0.0004; OR= 0.17, 95%CI: 0.06-0.45). The incidence of recurrence after the procedures was significantly lower in the LH group than in the SH group [2/173 (1.2%) vs 13/174 (7.5%); P = 0.003; OR= 0.21, 95%CI: 0.07-0.59]. CONCLUSION: Both SH and LH are probably equally valuable techniques in modern hemorrhoid surgery. However, LigaSure might have slightly favorable immediate postoperative results and technical advantages.

Pelvic sepsis after stapled hemorrhoidopexy

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a surgical procedure used worldwide for the treatment of grade Ⅲ and N hemorrhoids in all age groups. However, lifethreatening complications occur occasionally. The following case report describes the development of pelvic sepsis after stapled hemorrhoidopexy. A literature review of techniques used to manage major septic complications after stapled hemorrhoidopexy was performed. There is no standardized treatment currently available. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a safe, effective and time-efficient procedure in the hands of experienced colorectal surgeons.

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, Liga Sure 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.