A randomised trial to compare the results of injection sclerotherapy with a bulk laxative alone in the treatment of bleeding haemorrhoids.

In a prospective randomised trial, 43 patients with bleeding haemorrhoids were allocated to receive either a bulk laxative with injection of phenol (5%) in arachis oil (20 patients) (Group 1), or a bulk laxative alone (23 patients) (Group 2). Treatment was given by one author and patients were assessed "blind" by the other at 6 weeks, 3 months and finally at 6 months. At 6 weeks 12 (48%) in Group 1 and 12 (57%) in Group 2 were still bleeding (NS; chi 2 = 0.54). At 3 months 10 (40%) in group 1 and 6 (35%) in group 2 (NS; chi 2 = 0.10), and at 6 months 10 (43%) in group 1 and 7 (47%) in group 2 were still bleeding (NS; chi 2 = 0.04). No significant difference in bleeding at 6 months after either injection sclerotherapy with bulk laxative or bulk laxatives alone was found.