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Background: The symptoms of hemorrhoids has a wide spectrum that ranges from bleeding per rectum, itching, prolapse of the hemorrhoidal cushions, thrombosis leading to pain and discomfort, incontinence especially of fluids and mucous discharge. But for surgical management, hemorrhoidectomy is more sustainable in symptom control and has been considered as gold standard. Rubber band ligation has been the most popular amongst non-surgical interventions because of its effectiveness, minimal complication rate and shorter recover period compared to operative procedures. The present study aimed at determining the efficacy and safety of rubber banding ligation procedure versus the standard hemorrhoidectomy for second degree hemorrhoids. Methods: A prospective randomised comparative study was conducted at Department of Surgery, Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital, Puducherry for 18 months after getting institutional ethical committee clearance. A total no. of 74 cases of 2nd degree hemorrhoids were divided into two groups A (open hemorrhoidectomy) and B (banding) by simple randomization technique of 37 each. A detailed history & examination including per rectal and Proctoscopy examination was done of each patient and the data entered in the pro forma. The description of data was expressed in the form of mean±SD for quantitative data, while frequency and proportion for qualitative data. Results: Totally male patients represented 57% compared to female with 43% 78% of the patients who underwent banding did not have any immediate post-operative complications while only 4 persons reported pain and bleeding post-operatively compared to 12 patients reporting bleeding and 11 patients reporting pain after hemorrhoidectomy. The duration of hospital stay post procedures was found to be lesser in banding group compared to hemorrhoidectomy group with p value being statistically highly significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Rubber band ligation is very simple, safe, effective outpatient procedure that can be performed for grade II hemorrhoids. It generally requires fewer expertise and instruments. It is found to improve the symptoms of the patients and making them sustain a good quality of life since it has minimal complications.
Ray et al. (Mon,) studied this question.