Rubber band ligation of three primary hemorrhoids in a single session. A safe and effective procedure.

Rubber band ligation was used in 221 patients with first or second-degree hemorrhoids. All three primary hemorrhoids were ligated at a single out-patient session without anesthesia. Nineteen patients were lost to follow up. For the 202 patients under review, the follow up period ranged from three to 39 months with a mean of 18.4 months and median of 17 months. Excellent or good results were obtained in 183 patients (90.6 per cent). Moderate to severe pain was noticed by 58 patients (28.7 per cent). Further banding was required in 28 patients (13.9 per cent) and hemorrhoidectomy in six patients (3 per cent). The overall complication rate resulting from the treatment procedure was 3.5 per cent.