Stapled versus Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy: is there any evidence-based information?
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare the perioperative, short-term, and long-term outcomes of stapled hemorrhoidectomy with Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy.


METHODS
The present meta-analysis pooled the effects of outcomes of a total 926 patients treated with stapled or Ferguson hemorrhoidectomy in five out of 122 screened for retrieval randomized controlled trials using the fixed-effects or a random-effects model.


RESULTS
Stapled hemorroidectomy was equivalent to the Ferguson procedure in comparisons pertaining to the following outcomes: hospital stay, postoperative hemorrhage requiring intervention, early postoperative bleeding <4 weeks, late postoperative bleeding <8 weeks, and the presence of anal pathology at 1 year follow-up. Stapled hemorrhoidectomy was superior with impact to operative time, pain visual analogue scale score at 24 h, urinary retention, and wound healing.


CONCLUSIONS
There is convincingly apparent evidence about the safety and efficacy of stapled hemorrhoidectomy in the comparison with the well-established Ferguson procedure.
Sgourakis
George
G
Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Johannes Gutenberg University Hospital, Mainz, Germany. ggsgourakis@yahoo.gr
Sotiropoulos
Georgios C
GC
Dedemadi
Georgia
G
Radtke
Arnold
A
Papanikolaou
Ioannis
I
Christofides
Thalis
T
Rink
Andreas D
AD
Karaliotas
Constantine
C
Lang
Hauke
H
D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013537:Sutures; D016896:Treatment Outcome