SINGLE SESSION LIGATION TREATMENT OF BLEEDING HEMORRHOIDS

Rubber band ligation (RBL) was prospectively used in 49 consecutive pa tients with bleeding internal hemorrhoids between 1987 and 1990. All p atients underwent a two year follow-up period. Ten patients experience d complications consisting of pain, bleeding, mild discomfort and diss atisfaction. Hemorrhoidectomy was required in three patients. Long ter m results were satisfactory in 93.9 percent of the patients. The resul ts of this study confirm that single session RBL is a valuable alterna tive to hemorrhoidectomy in selected patients.