CRH-O’Regan Disposable Hemorrhoid Banding System
Invented in 1997 by laparoscopic surgeon Dr. Patrick J. O’Regan, the CRH-O’Regan Disposable Hemorrhoid Banding System represents a significant advancement in rubber band ligation. Fifteen counts of new technology are incorporated in the patents for this next-generation device, which dramatically improves upon traditional instrumentation.
Notably, the CRH-O’Regan System is the first entirely disposable, single-use device for hemorrhoid removal. Previous metal instruments were introduced in the 1950s and 1960s, before the advent of virulent, blood borne pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. Today they pose reprocessing challenges and concerns about cross-patient infection.
Cleared by the FDA in 2000, the CRH-O’Regan procedure is 99.9% effective 1 and can treat 90% of all hemorrhoid patients.
Hemorrhoid Classification
Class I – Hemorrhoid bleeds but doesn’t prolapse outside the anal canal
Class II – Prolapses, usually with defecation, but retracts spontaneously
Class III – Requires manual replacement into the anal canal after prolapsing
Class IV – Prolapsed tissue cannot be manually replaced and is typically strangulated or thrombosed
A large 2005 prospective study of the CRH-O’Regan System reported the lowest complication rate ever published at 16 out of 5,424 procedures, or 0.3%. 2 Post-band bleed occurred in 8 patients (0.15%), post-band pain in 3 patients (0.2%) and post-band thrombosis in 5 patients (0.3%.). No other complications were observed.
Compared to conventional rubber band ligation, these figures demonstrate a ten-fold reduction in complications. Beyond this significant advance, the results showed the CRH-O’Regan System to have lower recurrence (4.8%) than previous banding techniques (12%) 3 or even hemorrhoidectomy (5-8%). 4
It should be noted that patient compliance with dietary changes and recommended bowel habits may have marked influence on recurrence rates, however. Long-term studies are also needed to confirm whether this distinction exists at late follow-up.
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