Preliminary results of postoperative pain and complications after hemorrhoidectomy with harmonic scalpel

Abstract

Objective: To assess pain and to describe the complications afterhemorrhoidectomy (Milligan-Morgan technique) using theharmonic scalpel. Methods: The sample was composed of 108patients. The hemorrhoidal tissue was dissected and the vascularpedicle was sectioned using the harmonic scalpel (no ligationtechnique). Pain and postoperative complications rates werecalculated. Results: Significant postoperative pain occurred in 3.7%of cases (use of opioid drugs). The postoperative complicationrate was 9.2%: bleeding was observed in three cases (2.8%),infection in one case (0.9%), anal stenosis in one case (0.9 %) andtransitory urgency evacuation in five cases (4.6%). Conclusions:The Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy with harmonic scalpel isan attractive surgical technique owing to the low frequency of painand postoperative complications.

Keywords

• Hemorrhoids/surgery
• Surgical instruments
• Pain
• postoperative
• Postoperative complications