OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term functional results of Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy. DESIGN: Retrospective multicentre study. SETTING: One university hospital, one county hospital, and two community hospitals, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 507 of 556 patients who were operated on for haemorrhoids by the Milligan-Morgan technique between January 1987 and December 1995. INTERVENTION: A questionnaire was sent to all 507 patients, the questions in which focused on functional results and satisfaction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients' satisfaction and symptoms of anal incontinence after haemorrhoidectomy. RESULTS: 418 of the 507 responded (82%). Altogether 279 patients (67%) reported a successful result, while 139 patients (33%) reported impaired anal continence. 40 of the 139 patients (29%) claimed that the incontinence was a direct result of the haemorrhoidectomy. Female sex (p = 0.005) and an operation for hygienic problems (p = 0.02) were associated with a higher risk of incontinence. CONCLUSION: Impaired anal continence is common after Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy and a large proportion of affected patients relate their problems to the operation.
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Jóhannsson et al. (2002) studied this question.