Circumferential excisional hemorrhoidectomy for extensive acute thrombosis: a 14-year experience

Recurrence and/or complications after 3-quadrant hemorrhoidectomy or stapled hemorrhoidopexy still remain a challenging problem. This challenge is even greater for massive hemorrhoidal thrombosis leading to edema, ulceration, and/or gangrene. To address this challenge, we developed a further modification of the Whitehead procedure termed circumferential excisional hemorrhoidectomy. The proposed procedure allows access to a submucoanodermal/skin workspace that provides a "view from inside" the hemorrhoidal disease, and therefore facilitates the precise excision of even each hemorrhoidal vein while preserving the overlying normal tissues.

This study aimed to describe the circumferential excisional hemorrhoidectomy procedure and to demonstrate its results in patients presenting with total hemorrhoidal thrombosis. DESIGN, SETTINGS, PATIENTS: This prospective, descriptive study was conducted with 294 consecutive patients who underwent urgent circumferential excisional hemorrhoidectomy at our coloproctological center from January 1996 to June 2009.

Circumferential excisional hemorrhoidectomy involves the stripping and excision of hemorrhoids from the submucoanodermal space with reconstruction of the anal canal by the use of an undermined irregular/zigzag-shaped mucoanodermal flap and accurately trimmed skin.

The main outcome measures were the surgical outcomes and complications.

The mean patient age was 41.7 for both sexes. There were 215 men and 79 women. The mean operative time was 26.4 (range, 17-43) minutes. In terms of postoperative complications, there were 39 (13.2%) urinary retentions, 1 (0.3%) fecal impaction, and 3 (1%) delayed complete wound epithelization. The mean hospital stay was 3.1 (range, 2-5) days, and the mean time off from work was 10 (range, 7-18) days. At the fifth week after surgery, digital rectal examination revealed easily dilated mild stricture in 26 (8.8%) patients. At a mean follow-up of 6.8 (range, 2-14) years, 271 (92.2%) accessible patients were actually symptom-free.

This study did not have a control group.

Circumferential excisional hemorrhoidectomy is an anatomically safe surgical procedure with a low rate of complications and no recurrences, even after a long-term follow-up.