Comparison of Laser Hemorrhoidoplasty and Milligan-Morgan Hemorrhoidectomy Techniques in the Treatment of Grade 2 and 3 Hemorrhoidal Disease.

INTRODUCTION: The estimated prevalence of hemorrhoidal disease (HD) worldwide ranges from 2.9% to 27.9%. Conservative, medical, non-operative, and surgical therapy approaches are applied in HD treatment. Milligan-Morgan (MM) hemorrhoidectomy which is the most well-known and frequently applied surgical treatment method, and Laser hemorrhoidoplasty (LH) are among the accepted treatment methods in Grade 2-3 HD treatment where medical treatment is insufficient.

PURPOSE: In this study, the early results of laser hemorrhoidoplasty and Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy techniques were compared.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized clinical trial. The study included ASA 1-3, total 85 patients aged 18-70 years old with symptomatic Grade 2 and Grade 3 hemorrhoidal disease whose symptoms persisted despite at least one month of medical treatment. Fifty-four patients were allocated to Group L, whereas 31 were allocated to Group M. Age, gender, weight, body mass index, preoperative symptoms, presence of additional disease, use of anticoagulant medication, and length of hospital stay of the patients included in the study were recorded. Rescue analgesic used was recorded. Postoperative VAS score and complications were recorded within 10 days. The total energy numbers applied to all packages were recorded.

RESULTS: The incidence of minor perioperative hemorrhage was significantly lower in Group L compared to Group M ( P = .035). The postoperative 3rd-hour VAS scores were statistically significantly lower in Group L compared to Group ( P < .001). At the 3rd hour postoperatively, the need for rescue analgesia was statistically significantly higher in Group M compared to Group L. On the seventh postoperative day, Group M needed considerably more rescue analgesia compared to Group L ( P < .001, P = 1.00, P = .035, respectively). The cut-off value of 571 J was calculated in Group L.

CONCLUSION: We believe that it is not an advantageous method compared to MM hemorrhoidectomy, both in terms of patient comfort and cost-effectiveness, since postoperative pain, which is shown as the most important advantage of LH over conventional hemorrhoidectomy methods in the literature, can be relieved with simple NSA-I rescue analgesia in patients undergoing MM. Trial Registration: 03.06.2021/21-63.