Clinical use of micronized purified flavonoid fraction for treatment of symptoms after hemorrhoidectomy: results of a randomized, controlled, clinical trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate if the combination of micronized purified flavonoid fraction with short-term routine antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy was better at reducing the intensity of postoperative symptoms and wound bleeding after a Milligan-Morgan's open hemorrhoidectomy than antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment alone.

METHODS: Fifty patients were randomly assigned to receive routine antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment alone (control patients) or a combination of micronized purified flavonoid fraction with identical antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment (micronized purified flavonoid fraction patients). The evolution of symptoms (pain, tenesmus, pruritus, and bleeding) during the postoperative period was assessed by means of patients' self-questionnaires. Each symptom was scored on a graded severity scale from 0 to 3, daily during the first three days of the immediate postoperative period, then at regular intervals (about every 14 days) until postoperative day 60. A global score for evaluation of each postoperative symptom and bleeding was used. The global score for each symptom was the sum of scores for each patient over the study period. The global score for each symptom was compared between the two groups with the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS: No significant differences in age, gender distribution, and stage of disease between the two groups were noticed at baseline. Posthemorrhoidectomy symptoms were relieved more rapidly in the micronized purified flavonoid fraction group; during the first three postoperative days, the global score for each symptom was significantly more reduced in the micronized purified flavonoid fraction group. The global scores for each symptom are as follows: pain after 3 days, 6.16 (SD = 1.9) in the control group vs. 3.48 (SD = 1.8) in the micronized purified flavonoid fraction group (P < 0.0001); tenesmus, 5.36 (SD = 1.8) in the control group vs. 1.48 (SD = 1.5) in the micronized purified flavonoid fraction group (P < 0.0001); pruritus, 4.04 (SD = 1.9) in the control group vs. 1.84 (SD = 1.4) in the micronized purified flavonoid fraction group (P < 0.0001); bleeding, 4.4 (SD = 2.1) in the control group vs. 2.0 (SD = 1.3) in the micronized purified flavonoid fraction group (P < 0.0001). A significant difference (P < 0.0001) between groups was also shown in favor of micronized purified flavonoid fraction patients when global scores were calculated over the entire study period (60 days).

CONCLUSION: Micronized purified flavonoid fraction used in combination with short-term antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment can reduce both the duration and extent of postoperative symptoms and wound bleeding following hemorrhoidectomy.