title: [Haemorrhoidal disease: role of conservative outpatient treatments].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is a critical review of conservative office treatments of haemorrhoidal disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Many are outpatient techniques proposed in current literature; several with small series, anecdotal ones or some ones yet abandoned for excessive morbidity (for example anal divulsion, dilatation and so on); among most used we describe procedure, indications, contraindications, results and limits about rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, cryotherapy, infrared photocoagulation, bipolar diathermy and direct current therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each method has its supporters, indications and limits; therefore in literature there are discordant opinions even when randomized studies are compared. Indeed each technique is been compared with one or more other ones but there is not a randomized trial which compares all these treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conservative office techniques, and rubber band ligation in particular, have an important role in second degree haemorrhoidal disease, in non-responsive to medical treatment first degree and also in third degree haemorrhoids in elderly patients with comorbidity or with sectorial or moderate prolapse.
authors: U.O. Chirurgia Generale, Ospedale San Giacomo Novi Ligure (AL). aserventi@libero.it
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Serventi
authors: Pier Carlo
authors: PC
authors: Rassu
authors: Eliana
authors: E
authors: Giaminardi
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Massobrio
authors: Giulio Cesare
authors: GC
authors: Vitali
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Stabilini
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000379:methods; D003972:Diathermy / Q000379:methods; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D008028:Light Coagulation / Q000379:methods; D010045:Outpatients; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome