Haemorrhoidectomy in outpatient practice.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate our results of haemorrhoidectomy done as an outpatient procedure.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
University hospital Bratislava, Slovak Republic.


METHODS
256 patients who required haemorrhoidectomy in 1996-2001.


METHODS
Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy under local (0.5% lignocaine with adrenaline 1:200,000, 100 ml) or epidural (0.5 bupivacaine, marcain, 20 ml; or 1% lignocaine, 20 ml).


METHODS
Mortality, morbidity, need for admission to hospital, and acceptability to patients.


RESULTS
No patient died. All patients were observed in the recovery room for 0.5-8 hours (mean 5 hours). 23 of the 256 patients (9%) developed minor complications including bleeding (n = 6), pain (n = 15), anal discharge (n = 1), and retention of urine (n = 1). 5 patients (2%) were admitted for pain or retention of urine. During the first 3 days after operation 29 patients required increased analgesia for discomfort. 223 patients (87%) were satisfied with outpatient treatment, while the remaining would have preferred to be admitted to hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
Day case haemorrhoidectomy is a safe and effective way of reducing costs without increasing morbidity, mortality, and is acceptable to most patients.
Labas
Peter
P
1st Department of Surgery, University Hospital Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. peterlabas@hotmail.com
Ohradka
Bernard
B
Cambal
Marek
M
Olejnik
Juraj
J
Fillo
Juraj
J
D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies