Comparison of Postoperative Complications between Urgent and Elective Closed Hemorrhoidectomy: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Objective: To compare postoperative complications between urgent and elective closed hemorrhoidectomy in the following aspects: early bleeding and wound dehiscence.

Research design: prospective, non-randomized study

Methods: From May 1, 2003 to November 30, 2004, data of patients with prolapsed thrombosed hemorrhoid undergoing urgent hemorrhoidectomy were prospectively collected and compared with patients undergoing elective hemorrhoidectomy at the same period. Complications including early postoperative bleeding (within I week postoperatively) together with wound dehiscence (at week 2 and 4 post-operation) of the two groups were compared by Chi-sqaure test.

Results: There were 46 patients in the urgent hemorrhoidectomy group and 54 patients in the elective hemorrhoidectomy group. No differences were found between two groups in gender, age, and number of hemorrhoids resected in each patient (urgent /elective hemorrhoidectomy at the ratio of 2.24 /2.17). In the urgent group, one patient experienced bleeding which ceased spontaneously. In the elective group, two patients had post-operative bleeding. One patient needed surgery to stop bleeding, in another patient bleeding stopped spontaneously. At week 2 post-operation, there were 5 (10.8 %) and 7 (11.7 %) wound dehiscences in the urgent and the elective group respectively, which is of no significant difference (p= 0.120). At week 4 post-operation, no new case of wound dehiscence was detected and all were completely healed.

Conclusion: There was no statistical difference in postoperative complications in term of early bleeding and wound dehiscence between urgent and elective hemorrhoidectomy.