A comparative study of nonsurgical methods in the treatment of hemorrhoids

: The authors conducted comparative appraisal of the results of treatment of hemorrhoids in 3 groups of patients at a higher surgical risk in 1989-1990. Group 1 consisted of 79 patients given the traditional nonoperative treatment. Group 2 was made up of 17 patients in whom the hemorrhoidal nodes were ligated by means of latex rings. Forty-three patients of group 3 were treated by the traditional nonoperative methods and, in addition, by infrared photocoagulation, 33 at in-patients and 10 at out-patient clinics. The follow-up periods range from 3 to 12 months. The study showed that nonoperative therapy produced a temporary effect, clinical manifestations of hemorrhoids recurred in 100% of patients. In group 2 59% of patients were cured, which is evidence of the pathogenetic substantiation of the method. The treatment, however, in this group was marked by a great number of complications of an inflammatory character. The best effect was produced among patients of group 3; 37 (86%) patients were cured. Thus, the results of comparative analysis of the efficacy of these methods of treatment in patients at a higher surgical risk showed the advantages of infrared photocoagulation over nonoperative treatment and ligation of hemorrhoids with latex rings. The method of infrared photocoagulation is technically simple, convenient, and can be applied both in in- and out-patient clinics.