Surgical Excision Versus Medical Treatment in Acute External Thrombosed Hemorrhoidal Disease

Hemorrhoids are normal anatomical structures and are divided into internal and external according to the dentate line. External hemorrhoids distal to the dentate line, unlike internal hemorrhoids, are covered with squamous epithelium (anoderm), have somatic innervation, and are highly sensitive to pain.

While internal hemorrhoidal disease causes symptoms such as painless bleeding, mucosal prolapse, soiling, and itching, external hemorrhoids do not cause clinical findings unless thrombosed. Acute constipation or excessive straining are held responsible for acute external thrombosed hemorrhoidal disease (AETHD). It appears as a painful, firm, purple-colored mass in the anoderm, and the main symptom is anal pain. The severity of pain increases in the first 24-48 hours after the formation of the thrombosed pack and reaches its peak. The pain is quite severe in the first 72-96 hours. Afterwards, with the resorption of the thrombosis, the severity of the pain decreases and the disease heals, leaving a skin tag behind.

AETHD can be treated with surgical excision or conservative approaches. Conservative treatment includes a warm water sitz bath, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs. Also, phlebotonic drugs can be added. In the ASCRS and ESCP guidelines, early surgical excision is recommended for patients with acute external thrombosed hemorrhoidal disease in the first 72-96 hours (low quality evidence 2C). Guidelines highlight the lack of controlled studies of AETHD treatment .

In this study, the investigators aimed to compare early surgical excision with conservative treatment in terms of pain control and recurrence in the treatment of AETHD.