Objective: Day case haemorrhoidectomy in a District General Hospital. We have investigated the uptake and outcome of day case haemorrhoidectomy in a small district general hospital.
Method: Case note review with completion of standard proforma for all patients undergoing haemorrhoidectomy as day case (same day admission and discharge) or inpatient over a 4-year period.
Results: Sixty patients underwent day case closed haemorrhoidectomy, 2 day case stapled haemorrhoidectomy and 1 day case open haemorrhoidectomy, whilst 18 patients were treated as in-patients. One patient required re-admission within 31 days for reactionary haemorrhage after day case surgery. None suffered acute urinary retention. Concomitant medical disease or emergency admission were the only reasons for exclusion from day case haemorrhoidectomy. Of the 18 patients treated as in-patients haemorrhoidectomy two had unplanned readmission.
Conclusion: Closed haemorrhoidectomy with same day discharge should be offered to all patients that require surgical treatment of haemorrhoids and do not have other contra-indications to day case surgery.