Bleeding After Hemorrhoidectomy in Patients on Anticoagulation Medications.

BACKGROUND: Post-hemorrhoidectomy bleeding is a serious complication after hemorrhoidectomy. In the setting of a new wave of anticoagulants, we aimed to investigate the relationship of post-operative anticoagulation timing and delayed bleeding.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing hemorrhoidectomy at a single institution over a 10-year period. Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests were utilized to test for association between delayed bleeding and anticoagulation use.

RESULTS: Between January 2011 and October 2020, 1469 hemorrhoidectomies were performed. A total of 216 (14.7%) were taking platelet inhibitors and 56 (3.8%) other anticoagulants. Delayed bleeding occurred in 5.2% (n = 76) of which 47% (n = 36) required operative intervention. Mean time to bleeding was 8.7 days (SD ±5.9). Time to bleeding was longer in those taking antiplatelet inhibitors vs. non-platelet inhibitors vs. none (11 vs. 8 vs. 7 days, P = .05). Among anticoagulants (n = 56), novel oral anticoagulants were more common than warfarin (57% vs 43%) and had a nonsignificant increase in delayed bleeding (31% vs 16%, P = .21). Later restart (>3 days) of novel anticoagulants after surgery was associated with increased bleeding (10.5% vs 61.5%, P=.005). On multivariable analysis, only anticoagulation use (OR 4.5, 95% CI: 2.1-10.0), male sex (OR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-2.9), and operative oversewing (OR 3.5, 95% CI: 1.8-6.9) were associated with delayed bleeding.

CONCLUSION: Post-hemorrhoidectomy bleeding is more likely to occur with patients on anticoagulation. Later restart times within the first week after surgery was not associated with a decrease in bleeding.