A five-year follow-up of Lord's dilatation for haemorrhoids.

100 consecutive patients treated by Lord's dilatation for haemorrhoids were followed up for a mean of 5-1 years. 2 patients could not be traced, and 1 had died. 75 patients were symptom-free or greatly improved. For 22 patients the treatment was unsatisfactory and 19 have since undergone haemorrhoidectomy. The outcomes at six months and five years were the same in 87%. The results of this follow-up study indicate that treatment of haemorrhoids by Lord's dilatation produces satisfactory long-lasting results in most patients.