Rafaelo® study confirms effective and lasting results

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”.