Introduction: This study aimed to assess the short- and long-term outcomes of Doppler-guided transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD) for grade III and IV hemorrhoidal disease in Vietnam.
Methods: In a prospective observational design, patients treated for grade III and IV hemorrhoidal disease with the THD method at the National Hospital of Traditional Medicine (Hanoi, Vietnam) were included between June 2012 and December 2013. Patients were evaluated postoperatively at the time they were discharged from the hospital (short-term outcome) and 6 months after surgery (long-term outcome).
Results: A total of 128 patients were enrolled in the study, 94 were classified with grade III disease and 34 with grade IV. Grade IV hemorrhoidal patients reported on average 18.2 years of disease symptom duration, while grade III hemorrhoidal patients reported 11.2 years. All patients with grade III and grade IV hemorrhoidal disease had good outcomes at discharge day and reported to return to work in a median of 6 days after THD. At long-term follow-up, the results were good for 80.9% of patients from grade III hemorrhoidal disease and 61.8% of patients from grade IV hemorrhoidal disease. Patient satisfaction with the procedure and outcomes was 93.6% for grade III and 85.3% for grade IV hemorrhoidal patients.
Conclusions: The THD technique was shown to be safe for both grade III and IV hemorrhoidal patients. The THD technique showed better results with grade III hemorrhoidal patients as compared to grade IV hemorrhoidal patients.
Keywords: Dearterialization; Doppler-guided THD; Hemorrhoidal artery ligation; Hemorrhoids; Vietnam.