Doppler sonographic diagnostics and treatment control of symptomatic first-degree hemorrhoids. Preliminary report and results.

Endoscopic Doppler sonography is a relatively new technique in the diagnostics of intestinal hemorrhage. It has been used mainly for gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding, but is also utilized in the lower digestive tract. For the first time, the effectiveness of Doppler ultrasound was studied in hemorrhoidal disease. In the trial presented, 60 patients with symptomatic first-degree hemorrhoids and previous bleeding were randomized in two groups. Thirty patients of group A were examined by transproctoscopic Doppler sonography. After measuring the vessel's depth, local sclerosing treatment with 6 ml of 5% phenol almond oil was carried out. In the 30 patients of group B, the same amount of the solution was injected without the aid of Doppler investigation. The success of treatment was checked Doppler sonographically six weeks later and the results were compared statistically. In the patients of the Doppler group, the hemorrhoids proved to be totally eliminated in 87% versus only 37% in the patients of the non-Doppler group (P < 0.1). Proctoscopic Doppler ultrasound is useful in the evaluation and sclerotherapy of bleeding hemorrhoids.