title: Stapled hemorrhoidectomy: present status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate cost-effectiveness of stapled hemorrhoidectomy comparing its results with conventional technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the MEDLINE data basis from 2000 to 2004 studying randomized clinical trials which compared pain intensity, recovery period, return to work and occurrence of anal incontinence, in addition to postoperative complications and costs evaluation between stapled and conventional hemorrhoidectomy during different periods of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stapled hemorrhoidectomy provides lesser postoperative pain and earlier return to work than conventional hemorrhoidectomy. However, its efficacy could not be determined, since rigorous prospective and randomized clinical trials with long-term follow-up periods and large size samples are not available at this time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Federal University of Minas Gerais School of Medicine, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. alacerda@ufmg.br
authors.forename: Antônio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lacerda-Filho
authors.forename: Rodrigo Gomes da
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000601:surgery*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017792:Surgical Stapling / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome