Proctoscopic Doppler ultrasound in diagnostics and treatment of bleeding hemorrhoids.

PURPOSE

Endoscopic Doppler sonography is a relatively new technique in the diagnostics of intestinal hemorrhage. It has been used mainly for bleeding gastroduodenal ulcers, but can also be utilized in the lower digestive tract.

METHODS

In the study presented 80 patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids of first degree and previous hemorrhage were randomized in two groups. The 40 patients in Group A were examined by transproctoscopic Doppler ultrasound. After measuring the vessels depth, local injection treatment with 5 percent phenol almond oil followed. The patients in Group B had been given conventional sclerotherapy without the aid of Doppler investigation. The success of treatment was checked using Doppler sonographics six weeks later and the results were statistically compared.

RESULTS

In the patients in Group A, the hemorrhoids proved to be totally eliminated in 93 percent vs. 38 percent of the patients in Group B (P, 0.1 percent).

CONCLUSIONS

Proctoscopic Doppler ultrasound is useful in the evaluation and sclerotherapy of symptomatic first-degree hemorrhoids.