Early postoperative outcomes of a novel nonexcisional technique using aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid sclerotherapy with mucopexy on patients with grade III hemorrhoids.

Purpose: Aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA; Zion, Mitsubishi Pharma Corp.) is an effective sclerosing agent for internal hemorrhoids. ALTA therapy with a rectal mucopexy (AM) is a new approach for treating hemorrhoidal prolapse. This study compared the early postoperative outcomes of AM surgery with Doppler-guided transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization and mucopexy (DM) in patients with third-degree hemorrhoids.

Methods: AM surgery was performed on 32 patients with grade III hemorrhoids and was compared with a cohort of 22 patients who underwent DM surgery in a previous randomized controlled trial.

Results: The pain scores during defecation were significantly lower in the AM patients beginning 4 days after surgery. The total use of analgesics 2 weeks postoperatively was significantly lower in the AM patients than in the DM patients (3.5 tablets [range 1.6-5.5] vs. 7.6 tablets [range 3.3-11.9], P=0.04). The length of operation, blood loss, and incidence of postoperative complications were significantly lower in the AM patients than in the DM patients. During 12 months follow-up, recurrence of prolapse occurred in 1 patient who underwent AM surgery.

Conclusion: AM surgery is effective, with lower complication rates and postoperative analgesic requirements, and is a less invasive treatment for patients with grade III hemorrhoids compared to DM surgery.