Experience of 3711 stapled haemorrhoidectomy operations.

Experience of 3711 stapled haemorrhoidectomy operations (Br J Surg 2006; 93: 226–230) Sir This is the largest series from a single centre. We note that the authors have performed 3,711 operations in 56 months, which is 66 operations/month or 17/week, uninterruptedly for nearly 5 years. They have employed the technique in a number of patients with not otherwise specified ‘bleeding’ (80·7 per cent), and for ‘haemorrhoid thrombosis’ (3·9 per cent). Surgery is in general indicated only for symptomatic thirddegree haemorrhoids not responding to rubber band ligation, and for prolapsed piles1,2. As a consequence, fewer than 10 per cent of patients referred for specialist treatment need haemorrhoidectomy3. L. Basso, G. Cavallaro and A. Polistena Department of Surgery ‘‘Pietro Valdoni’’, University of Rome ‘‘La Sapienza’’ Medical School, Policlinico ‘‘Umberto I’’, viale del Policlinico, Rome 00161, Italy