Warning: fopen(/home/virtual/colon/journal/upload/ip_log/ip_log_2025-02.txt): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/virtual/lib/view_data.php on line 95 Warning: fwrite() expects parameter 1 to be resource, boolean given in /home/virtual/lib/view_data.php on line 96 Whitehead's Operation: Should We Abandon It?.
Skip Navigation
Skip to contents

Ann Coloproctol : Annals of Coloproctology

OPEN ACCESS
SEARCH
Search

Articles

Page Path
HOME > J Korean Soc Coloproctol > Volume 20(2); 2004 > Article
Original Article
Whitehead's Operation: Should We Abandon It?.
Kim, Hong , Jeong, Inho , Suh, Kwang Wook
Journal of the Korean Society of Coloproctology 2004;20(2):75-79

Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. kwsuh@ajou.ac.kr
next
  • 1,032 Views
  • 6 Download
  • 0 Crossref
  • 0 Scopus

PURPOSE
Total prolapse of internal hemorrhoids around the entire anal circumference still remains as a challenging problem. Whitehead's circumferential hemorrhoidectomy is one of the surgical options. To elucidate efficacy of Whiteheads operation, we analyzed the surgical outcomes of Whiteheads operation.
METHODS
The medical records of 165 consecutive patients who underwent Whiteheads operation for end-stage hemorrhoids were retrospectively reviewed. The mean operation time, the mean blood loss, and the mean hospital stay were examined. Also the types of complications were identified. All patients were followed for extended periods and in May 2003 they were asked to appraise their satisfaction (mean follow-up duration was 45.5 months, 12~93 month range).
RESULTS
The mean operation time was 21.5+/-5.3 minutes, the mean blood loss was 50.5+/-22.0 cc, and the average hospital stay was 5.5+/-1.5 days. Early postoperative complications were fecal incontinence (60.6%) and voiding difficulty (53.3%). These problems were spontaneously resolved within 2 weeks. Pain was the most difficult problem, and all patients required a parenteral opioid for relief of pain. The only late complication was anal stenosis. Objectively, anal stenosis was found in 66 patients; however, 22 patients (13.3%) complained of defecation difficulty. Among them, only 4 patients required surgical treatment. The average score of satisfaction according to the patients themselves was 4.0+/-2.2, 0 being no satisfaction and 5 being complete satisfaction.
CONCLUSIONS
The Whitehead operation, if performed properly for the selected patients, still remains as one of the best surgical options for end-stage hemorrhoids.

Related articles

Ann Coloproctol : Annals of Coloproctology Twitter Facebook
TOP