Proctology table

Management of internal haemorrhoids by rubber-band ligation

Rubber-band ligation has been used in the treatment of 156 patients with internal haemorrhoids. The treatment was performed without anaesthesia in an out-patient clinic. Only one pile was ligated at each visit and 77 per cent of the patients required either two or three ligations. Only 7 patients have been lost to follow-up. Twenty-six per cent of the patients experienced discomfort lasting for more than 3 days after one or other of the ligation treatments, but in only 9 per cent was the pain sufficiently severe for them not to wish to have the treatment again. After follow-up periods of 4 to 40 months, 66 per cent of the patients considered the results to be excellent and a further 25 per cent were improved.