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February workshops filling up fast
Would you like to join one of our workshops and witness firsthand the procedure of radiofrequency ablation for hemorrhoids? Experienced specialists will provide insights and answer all your questions regarding this treatment method. Explore all scheduled workshops on our workshop page and reach out to us for further information.
The German Society of Coloproctologists will be holding their annual conference in Munich beginning on 16 March. F Care Systems looks forward to this opportunity to engage with customers and distributors face-to-face!
F Care Systems is proud to announce the release of the Sphera, a new rounded probe designed for surface coagulation of Grade I and II internal haemorrhoids.
Our next Rafaelo® workshop is scheduled for 21 April in Cologne. Space is limited—don’t miss this chance to experience our RF ablation technology firsthand.
Researchers at three French proctology centres conducted a prospective study involving 49 patients who underwent the Fistura® procedure for various forms of fistula-in-ano. Patients were evaluated one, three, six and twelve months after treatment, including MRI examinations at six and twelve months to check for deep healing.
Overall, clinical healing was observed in 17 patients (34.7%) at 6 months, with another 16 (32%) showing narrowing of one or both orifices. Fifteen of the clinically healed patients exhibited deep healing as well. Interestingly, however, the results differed significantly from centre to centre, with one location reporting a 50% healing rate while another showed just 8% success—suggesting that the results obtained with this treatment may improve as physicians optimize their methodology. This is also reflected in the clear correlation between energy delivered and treatment success: healed patients received an average of 2725 joules, while unhealed patients were given an average of 1325 joules. Similarly, the centre with the highest success rate also had the highest average energy usage (3137 vs. 1325 vs. 1275 joules).
Post-operative pain was very low, with an average score of 1/10 in the first week and 0/10 thereafter. Average use of analgesics in the first week was zero. The researchers pointed out the lack of pain as one potential advantage over fistulotomy, which typically requires “repeated post-operative care and time off work.”
Other side effects were low as well (8%), and only three patients experienced recurrences in the form of abscesses. No post-operative bleeding or acute urinary retention was observed. Average anal incontinence scores decreased from 5 pre-treatment to 1.5 at month 6 and 0 at month 12.
Overall, around two-thirds of patients were satisfied with the procedure, and over 92% said they would repeat it if necessary.
A recent article in the Annals of Coloproctology (2022 Oct 11) reported the findings of a retrospective, single-centre study assessing the long-term efficacy of radiofrequency haemorrhoid ablation. French medical researchers interviewed 107 patients who had undergone the Rafaelo® procedure between 2016 and 2021, and compiled comparative data on their pre- and post-operative proctological symptoms, quality of life and overall satisfaction. The results were highly encouraging:
- Average haemorrhoid severity decreased from Grade 3 to Grade 2, with prolapse vanishing completely in 30 of the 100 patients who had experienced it before treatment.
- 71% of patients returned to work the following day, and just over two-thirds required only Level I (non-opioid) analgesics.
- Of the 102 patients with pre-treatment bleeding, 53 (52%) reported complete cessation, while the others saw dramatic improvement (average intensity: 7/10 pre-Rafaelo®, 3/10 post-Rafaelo®).
- Subjective discomfort levels dropped significantly as well, from 7/10 to 2/10 overall.
- Only six patients required subsequent surgical intervention, and none experienced long-term complications.
- Overall patient satisfaction was very high: over 91% would undergo the same procedure again, and over 96% would recommend it to others.
The researchers concluded that radiofrequency haemorrhoid thermocoagulation with Rafaelo® yielded “significant improvement in haemorrhoidal symptoms and a lasting increase in QoL with minimal pain and downtime, high acceptance, and low complication and recurrence rates”.