Surgical treatment of haemorrhoidal disease: a survey of the regional area of Campania in Italy

Abstract

Introduction: In order to monitor the common practice regarding the surgicaI treatment of haemorrhoidaI disease in Campania, a region in the South of Italy, a survey amongst one hundred specialists in general surgery and members of the Neapolitan Surgery Association (S.Na.C.) was carried out.

Materials and Methods: The survey was carried out through a 13-items questionnaire sent to 100 General Surgeons working in Campania. The survey sample was chosen randomly from the S.Na.C. members. Participants were given two weeks to fill in and return the questionnaire.

Results: The survey, was developed to obtain a “picture” of the current situation and revealed some interesting results: the procedure preferred was the Milligan and Morgan Haemorrhoidectomy (MMH) being used in 41 % of the cases, whilst stapled haemorrhoidopexy (SH) was carried out only in 19% of the cases and 44.4% of the surgeons never carried even one. With regard to postoperative complications, bleeding was the most common after SH which occurred in 10 out of 260 cases (3.8%), whereas anal pain was the most common after MMH (17.9%).

Discussion: In keeping with the literature the analysis shows that, although fairly good results with low complication rates are reported with SH, it is still not widely accepted and is performed in only 19% of the patients in our Regional area.