Laser Hemorrhoidoplasty Procedure vs Open Surgical Hemorrhoidectomy: a Trial Comparing 2 Treatments for Hemorrhoids of Third and Fourth Degree

OBJECTIVE: According to the ‘‘vascular’’ theory, arterial overflow in the superior hemorrhoidal arteries would lead to dilatation of the hemorrhoidal venous plexus. Hemorrhoid laser procedure (LHP) is a new laser procedure for outpatient treatment of hemorrhoids in which hemorrhoidal arterial flow feeding the hemorrhoidal plexus is stopped by laser coagulation. AIM: Our aim was to compare the hemorrhoid laser procedure with open surgical procedure for outpatient treatment of symptomatic hemorrhoids. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A comparison trial between hemorrhoid laser procedure or open surgical hemorrhoidectomy was made. This study was conducted at Aloka hospital in Kosovo. Patients with symptomatic grade III or grade IV hemorrhoids with minimal or complete mucosal prolapse were eligible for the study: 20 patients treated with the laser hemorrhoidoplasty, and 20 patients–with open surgery hemorrhoidectomy. Operative time and postoperative pain with visual analog scale, were evaluated. RESULTS: A total number of 40 patients (23 men and 17 women, mean age, 46 years) entered the trial. Significant differences between laser hemorrhoidoplasty and open surgical procedure were observed in operative time and early postoperative pain. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding the early postoperative period: 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 1 month after respective procedure (p<0.01). The procedure time for LHP was 15.94 min vs. 26.76 min for open surgery (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The laser hemorrhoidoplasty procedure was more effective than open surgical hemorrhoidectomy. Postoperative pain and duration time are only two indicators for this difference between there procedures.