Local anaesthesia for haemorrhoidal rubber band ligation reduces immediate post-operative recovery time and use of opioid analgesia.

BACKGROUND: Haemorrhoidal rubber band ligation (RBL) is a well-established, safe and cost-effective treatment for bleeding haemorrhoids. It is generally well tolerated; however, some patients may require narcotic analgesia or even admission to hospital for pain management. This comparative cohort study reports on the difference in peri-procedural analgesia administration and post-operative recovery time between patients who received local anaesthetic (LA) infiltration in addition to RBL, compared with patients treated only with RBL.

METHODS: Consecutive patients with haemorrhoids treated over a 3-month period with LA infiltration in addition to RBL were compared to a consecutive control group who received RBL alone in the preceding 3 months. Clinical data were collected prospectively for LA group and retrospectively for the control group. Data collected included analgesia administered during the procedure and in recovery, as well as the mean time to discharge.

RESULTS: A total of 32 patients treated with LA infiltration following RBL for haemorrhoids were compared with 22 patients who were treated with RBL alone. There was a reduction in the administration of intra-procedural parecoxib in the LA group (P < 0.001). Following the procedure, there was a reduction in the administration of both oral and intravenous opioid analgesia (P = 0.009) and reduced mean time to discharge in the LA group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Infiltration of LA proximal to the band following RBL for haemorrhoids reduced the administration of analgesia both during the procedure and in recovery, as well as mean time to discharge following the procedure.