The Whitehead operation procedure: Is it a useful technique?

Hemorrhoidal disease is a very common entity in the general population; however, the therapeutic approaches to hemorrhoids remain controversial. The choice of treatment method depends on the grade of the hemorrhoid as well as the experience of the surgeon. The Whitehead hemorrhoidectomy procedure is often applied for grade IV hemorrhoids.

We studied 49 patients who underwent surgery between December 1982 and January 2013. The indications for the Whitehead procedure in all patients were grade IV hemorrhoidal disease. The data on these patients were evaluated retrospectively with respect to age, gender, preoperative diagnosis, and postoperative complications.

Of the patients included in this study, 34 were male and 15 were female. The mean age of the patients was 41.93±12.42, and the age range was 24-70 years. Complications of the Whitehead procedure included bleeding (6.12%, three cases), stricture (2.04%, one case), urinary retention (16.33%, eight cases), and temporary anal incontinence (2.04%, one case). No patients developed Whitehead deformities, entropion, or infectious complications. All patients were discharged from hospital between the fifth and eighth days post-surgery (6.45±1.00 days). The follow-up period was 1-234 months (70.02±54.89).

The Whitehead procedure is successful in patients with prevalent peripheral prolapse and/or thrombosed hemorrhoids. With the right indications, and if the surgeon has adequate experience, the morbidity rate of the Whitehead procedure is similar to that of other treatment methods.