BACKGROUND: Surgery for symptomatic hemorrhoids is needed in almost 10% of the patients. Although, literature about the surgical management of hemorrhoidal disease is vast, data concerning hemorrhoidectomy or hemorrhoidopexy performed by training residents is limited. AIM: To analyze the results of these procedures in a teaching institution. METHODS: Data from all patients who underwent surgical treatment for hemorrhoids from 1995 to 2007 in a single institution were retrospectively analyzed. Residents supervised by assisting doctors performed all procedures. Techniques were compared based on operative time, hospital stay, morbidity, and long-term efficacy. RESULTS: Three hundred thirty three patients were included in the study, 182 males (54.6%), with a mean age of 45.3 years (± 12.02). Third degree hemorrhoids were the main indication (81.7%). Milligan-Morgan was the most commonly performed procedure (57%), followed by Ferguson and stapled hemorrhoidopexy. Mean operative time was significantly lower in the stapled hemorrhoidopexy group when compared to the open and closed procedures: 49,4 ± 29.3 min vs. 61.1 ± 26.5 and 67.1 ± 28.3, respectively (p=0.0034). There was no statistically significant difference among the groups regarding postoperative complications or reoperation rate. Length of stay was significantly higher in the Milligan-Morgan group when compared to Ferguson and stapled hemorrhoidopexy (1.41 ± 0.86 days vs. 1.19 ± 0.43 vs. 1.16 ± 0.37 respectively). Symptomatic recurrence, reoperation rates and band ligation usage were similar among groups. CONCLUSION: Residents under supervision can perform Milligan-Morgan, Ferguson and stapled hemorrhoidopexy with low incidence of complications and good long-term results. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy technique was associated with a shorter operative time, while Milligan-Morgan correlated with a longer length of stay.
Hemorrhoids; Hospitals; Hemorrhoidectomy
