The Role of Oral Metronidazole in the Management of Post Haemorrhoidectomy Pain

We are planning on performing a double-blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT), investigating the role of oral metronidazole in the management of Post Open Haemorrhoidectomy pain. Haemorrhoidal disease is a common benign condition, with conventional open haemorrhoidectomy remaining the gold standard for treatment. The main post-operative complaint is pain. Various methods have been used to optimise analgesia post-haemorrhoidectomy. The most widely used pharmacological agent is metronidazole, typically administered orally. However, the overall quality of previous studies investigating this have been few in number and generally of poor quality. It is common practice however, for the majority of surgeons both nationally and internationally to administer a prophylactic course of oral metronidazole to decrease post haemorrhoidectomy pain. We hope to run our own RCT, double blinded, to assess whether oral metronidazole really does decrease post-operative pain. Patient will be either randomised to a seven day course of oral metronidazole (400mg TDS) or placebo. Patients will be followed up for 6 weeks, with the use of a 10-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to assess their pain at various time intervals post-operatively.