Long-term result after rubber band ligation for haemorrhoids.
OBJECTIVE
Rubber band ligation (RBL) is a well-known and recognised outpatient procedure utilised for the treatment of symptomatic internal haemorrhoids. This paper describes a retrospective study which analyses the short- and long-term results of a personal series of patients.


METHODS
A consecutive group of 206 patients with symptomatic internal second- and third-degree haemorrhoids were treated with RBL as outpatients from 1982 to 1989. Two or three piles were legated in a single session. All patients were systematically visited after 1 month and 1 year. Respectively after 10 and 17 years, all the patients were contacted to obtain a telephone follow-up.


RESULTS
The short-term follow-up at 1 month and at 1 year showed that 46% of the patients experienced moderate anal pain for 24 h post procedure. Two patients had severe pain (1%) and were admitted in the hospital to be submitted to an operative haemorrhoidectomy within a few days. Only 2.4% of the patients experienced rectal bleeding after a week, and 20% had a second session of RBL after 1 month. At 1 year follow-up, 90% of the patients with second-degree piles and 75% of patients with third-degree piles reported no residual symptoms. The long-term telephone follow-up at 10 and 17 years collected the history of 138 patients (67%). A group of 69% was asymptomatic, 28% had residual symptoms, and 3% needed further surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
RBL is a safe and effective treatment for symptomatic internal haemorrhoids. Our long-term follow-up demonstrated good long-term results for internal second- and third-degree haemorrhoids.
Forlini
Antonio
A
Department of Surgery, General Surgery Division, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Tor Vergata University, Rome 00133, Italy.
Manzelli
Antonio
A
Quaresima
Silvia
S
Forlini
Massimo
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000601:surgery; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012408:Rubber; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D012408:Rubber