RACIONAL: A pimenta vermelha e outras especiarias têm sido responsabilizadas por agravar a sintomatologia das doenças anais, tais como fissuras e hemorróidas. OBJETIVO: Determinar se o consumo de pimentas vermelhas aumentaria os sintomas em fissuras anais agudas. MÉTODOS: Pacientes foram recrutados e randomizados para receber cápsulas contendo pimenta ou placebos por 1 semana, somadas a analgésicos e suplementos de fibras. Foi solicitado que anotassem um escore de sintomas, tais como dor, queimação anal, prurido durante o período de estudo. Após 1 semana o tratamento foi cruzado e administrado ao mesmo grupo de pacientes com a mesma metodologia e os resultados foram anotados ao final de duas semanas. RESULTADOS: Cinqüenta pacientes foram selecionados e 43 completaram o estudo (22 no grupo pimenta e 23 no grupo placebo). O escore médio diário de dor foi significativamente mais baixo (2,05 no grupo pimenta e 0,97 no grupo placebo). A sensação de queimação foi sentida de modo significativo no grupo pimenta (1,85 para o grupo pimenta vs 0,71 para o grupo placebo). O escore de melhora dos sintomas foi significantemente alto após tomar o placebo. Oitenta e um virgula três porcento dos pacientes preferiram tomar placebo contra 13,9% que preferiram pimenta. Dois pacientes não referiram preferências. CONCLUSÃO: O consumo de pimentas agrava os sintomas de fissuras anais agudas.

BACKGROUND: Red-hot chili pepper and other spices have been blamed for causing or exacerbating symptoms of anal pathologies like anal fissure and hemorrhoids. AIM: To determine if consumption of chilies increases symptoms of acute anal fissures. METHODS: Individual patients were randomized to receive capsules containing chili or placebo for one week in addition to analgesics and fiber supplement. Patients were asked to note score for symptoms like pain, anal burning, and pruritus during the study period. After 1 week, cross over treatment was administered to the same group of patients with the same methodology and results were noted at the end of 2 weeks. RESULTS: Fifty subjects were recruited for this study. Forty three of them completed the trial (22 in the chili group and 21 in the placebo group). The daily mean pain score was significantly lower in the placebo group in the study period. Score 2.05 in chili group and 0.97 in placebo group. There was a significant burning sensation experienced by the patients in the chili group (score 1.85 for the chili group vs 0.71 for the placebo group). Patient’s mean recorded improvement score was significantly higher after taking placebo. Eighty one point three percent patients preferred placebo while 13.9% preferred chilies. Two patients had no preference. CONCLUSION: Consumption of chili does increase the symptoms of acute anal fissure and reduces patient compliance.

Antecedentes: A pesar de la variedad de técnicas quirúrgicas descritas para el tratamiento del quiste pilonidal, ninguna ha merecido reconocimiento como modalidad óptima. En el presente artículo el autor describe una técnica para la resección del quiste o seno pilonidal utilizando un aparato de radiofrecuencia. Actualmente se realiza un estudio aparte para comparar los resultados de esta técnica de resección amplia y cicatrización por granulación. Materiales y métodos: De 44 pacientes con enfermedad pilonidal sacrococcígea, 23 fueron aleatorizados para resección amplia y cicatrización secundaria por granulación y 21 a resección por radiofrecuencia. Se utilizó un aparato de Ellman generador de radiofrecuencia. Se analizaron los eventos perioperatorios, la complejidad y los resultados. Resultados: Las diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos fueron las siguientes: promedio de hospitalización (47 horas frente a 10 horas); período de incapacidad laboral (29 días frente a 8 días); promedio de requerimiento analgésico (39 tabletas frente a 15 tabletas); tiempo para cicatrización total (84 días frente a 49 días). En el seguimiento promedio de 30 meses, dos pacientes en el grupo de resección amplia y herida abierta para granulación y uno en el grupo de resección por radiofrecuencia presentaron recurrencia. Conclusión: El estudio muestra que la resección mediante radiofrecuencia es un procedimiento simple y ágil. Requiere una hospitalización corta y se asocia con menos dolor postoperatorio y más pronto retorno al trabajo. Con base en nuestra experiencia, se puede concluir que este procedimiento merece un lugar en el tratamiento de la enfermedad pilonidal.

Background: Despite a variety of surgical techniques proposed for the treatment of pilonidal disease, none of them has come to be recognized as an optimum modality. In the present study, the author describes a technique of sinus excision using a radiofrequency device. A separate study is conducted to compare the outcome of this technique with wide excision and open granulation procedure. Materials and Methods: Of the 44 patients with sacro-coccygeal pilonidal sinus disease studied, 23 were randomly assigned to undergo wide excision and healing by open granulation (WEG) and 21 patients for radiofrequency sinus excision (RSE). A Ellman radiofrequency generator was used for sinus excision. Peri and postoperative events, complexity and outcome data were recorded. Results: The significant differences in the two group WEG and RSE were as follows- mean hospital stay [47 hours versus 10 hours], period off work (29 days versus 8 days), mean analgesic requirement (39 tablets versus 15 tablets), time for complete wound healing (84 days versus 49 days). At the mean follow-up of 30 months, two patients from the wide excision and open granulation group and one patient from the radiofrequency sinus excision group developed recurrence. Conclusion: This study shows that sinus excision with radiofrequency is a simple and swift procedure. It needs a short hospital stay and is associated with less postoperative pain and early resumption to work. Based on our initial experience, it can be concluded that this procedure has a place in the treatment of pilonidal sinus disease.

OBJETIVO: Mostrar os benefícios do uso dos raios infravermelhos como alternativa no tratamento de hemorróidas sangrantes, comparado a outras modalidades habitualmente utilizadas. MÉTODOS: 212 pacientes com hemorróidas sangrantes foram tratados com raios infravermelhos e foram acompanhados por período de 18 meses a fim de se observar os efeitos do procedimento. Comparou-se com outras modalidades usuais de tratamento. RESULTADOS: Apenas 28 pacientes tiveram persistência ou recidiva de sangramento. O procedimento mostrou vantagens comparado a outros. CONCLUSÃO: A coagulação de hemorróidas sangrantes nos estágios iniciais por raios infravermelhos mostrou ser uma alternativa simples, eficaz e segura, em comparação a outros procedimentos convencionais. O procedimento é rápido e menos doloroso. Pode ser repetido em caso de recidiva e deve ser considerado como primeira escolha em hemorróidas precoces.

BACKGROUND: The ideal therapy for hemorrhoids is always debated. For early grades of the disease, many different modalities of treatment have been proposed. Some are effective but are more painful, others are less painful but their efficacy is not assured on long term. Infrared photocoagulation has emerged as a new addition to the list. In this procedure, the tissue is coagulated by infrared radiation. During treatment, mechanical pressure and radiation energy are applied simultaneously to ablate the blood supply to the hemorrhoidal mass. METHODS: In the present retrospective study, the effect of infrared coagulation on patients with early grades of hemorrhoids is described. In a separate study, a comparison is made between Infrared coagulation and rubber band ligation in terms of their effectiveness and discomfort. RESULTS: 212 patients were treated by infrared coagulation and were followed up for a period of 18 months. Only 28 patients had persistence or recurrence of bleeding. Overall ratio of comfort and patient satisfaction from pain and bleeding was quite satisfactory. The comparative study showed that though rubber band ligation is more effective, it is a more painful procedure. CONCLUSION: These studies shows that Infrared coagulation for hemorrhoids in early stages could prove to be a easy and effective alternative to conventional methods as it is quick, less painful and safe. The procedure can be repeated in case of recurrence and should be considered as the first choice in early hemorrhoids.