Milligan–Morgan hemorrhoidectomy vs. hemorrhoid artery ligation and recto-anal repair: a comparative study

Several surgical techniques for the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease (HD) have been proposed. However, the selection of the most proper technique for each individual case scenario is still a matter of debate. The purpose of the present study was to compare the Milligan–Morgan (MM) hemorrhoidectomy and the hemorrhoidal artery ligation and rectoanal repair (HAL–RAR) technique.

A retrospective analysis of the prospectively collected database of patients submitted to HD surgery in our department was conducted. Patients were divided into two groups, the MM group and the HAL–RAR group. Primary end points were recurrence rates and patients’ satisfaction rates. The Unpaired t test was used to compare numerical variables while the x² test for categorical variables.

A total of 124 patients were identified, submitted either to HAL–RAR or MM hemorrhoidectomy. Eight (8) patients were lost to follow up and were excluded from the analysis. Of the remaining 116 patients, 69 patients (54 males and 15 females–male / female ratio: 3.6) with a median age of 47 years old (range 18–69) were included in the HAL–RAR group while 47 patients (40 males and 7 females–male / female ratio: 5.7) with a median age of 52 years old (range 32–71) comprised the MM group. At a median follow up of 41 months (minimum 24 months–maximum 72 months), we recorded 20 recurrences (28.9%) in the HAL–RAR group and 9 recurrences in the MM group (19.1%) (p 0.229). The mean time from the procedure to the recurrence was 14.1 ± 9.74 months in the HAL–RAR group and 21 ± 13.34 months in the MM group. Patients with itching, pain or discomfort as the presenting symptoms of HD experienced statistically significantly lower recurrences (p 0.0354) and reported statistically significantly better satisfaction rates (6.72 ± 2.15 vs. 8.11 ± 1.99—p 0.0111) when submitted to MM. In the subgroup of patients with bleeding as the presenting symptom, patients satisfaction rates were significantly better (8.59 ± 1.88 vs. 6.45 ± 2.70—p 0.0013) in the HAL–RAR group.

In patients with pain, itching or discomfort as the presenting symptoms of HD, MM was associated with less recurrences and better patients satisfaction rates compared to HAL–RAR. In patients with bleeding as the main presenting symptom of HD, HAL–RAR was associated with better patients’ satisfaction rates and similar recurrence rates compared to MM.