Evaluation of sclerotherapy with a new sclerosing agent and stapled hemorrhoidopexy for prolapsing internal hemorrhoids: retrospective comparison with hemorrhoidectomy.

Background: We retrospectively compared the results of sclerotherapy with a new sclerosing agent (aluminum potassium sulphate/tannic acid) and hemorrhoidopexy using an improved type of circular stapler with hemorrhoidectomy.
Methods: Between January 2006 and September 2008, we performed hemorrhoidectomy in 416 patients, sclerotherapy in 784 patients and hemorrhoidopexy in 118 patients with prolapsing internal hemorrhoids.
Results: The median volume of the agent injected into a hemorrhoid was 7 ml (interquartile range = 4). The operation duration was significantly shorter (p < 0.01) in sclerotherapy, 13 min (interquartile range = 7), than in hemorrhoidectomy, 43 min (interquartile range = 15), and hemorrhoidopexy, 31 min (interquartile range = 16). Postoperative pain, needing pain killer injection, occurred in 59 patients (14%) in hemorrhoidectomy, 14 patients (1.8%) in sclerotherapy and 1 patient (0.8%) in hemorrhoidopexy (p < 0.01). The disappearance rates of prolapse were 100% (416/416 patients) in hemorrhoidectomy, 96% (753/784 patients) in sclerotherapy and 98.3% (116/118 patients) in hemorrhoidopexy.
Conclusions: Hemorrhoidectomy, widely applied for hemorrhoids, needs hospitalization, being accompanied by pain. Sclerotherapy could be performed on outpatient bases without any severe pain or complication. Hemorrhoidopexy is a useful alternative treatment with less pain. Less invasive treatments would be useful when performed paying attention to avoid complications.
(Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.)