Selection of Hemorrhoid Treatment Techniques using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Technique

Hemorrhoids (Piles) are widespread diseases, and they appear in the form of itching, bleeding, and discomfort in the anal area, which are swelling of the veins of the anus and lower part of the rectum. Hemorrhoids may be internal to the rectum or external as they occur under the skin around the anus. It occurs due to increased pressure inside the abdominal cavity and pelvis due to constipation or pressure on veins during pregnancy. Many effective treatment options are available, and most sufferers can relieve symptoms by using home remedies, lifestyle changes after excluding other causes of anal bleeding. Most people over 30 years old have suffered from piles or some symptoms. Many patients do not like to explain that they have an infection in the anus or rectum region. As a result, such patients do internet searches for medications and remedies for this type of condition, which produces a plethora of misleading and superfluous material, as well as wrong information. Also, doctors sometimes cannot decide how to operate when dealing with hemorrhoid removal. For these reasons, we conducted this study to give information about all of the available treatment techniques and compare them using the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) or multi-criteria decision analysis method fuzzy TOPSIS analysis technique. The treatment techniques discussed in this study are seven nonsurgical techniques (Fiber-diet with water, the enema, ice usage, creams, IR coagulation, rubber band ligation, and sclerotherapy) and three surgical techniques namely stapled hemorrhoidectomy, laser hemorrhoid surgery, open or closed hemorrhoidectomy. Also, the parameters used are (total cost, efficiency, recovery period, survival rate, practicality, comfortability, hospitalization time, and procedure time, all gathered from previously recorded information of hospitals, doctors, or patients. This information for each technique is analyzed, ranked, and compared using the previously mentioned TOPSIS MCDM technique.

Keywords: Anal Canal, Fuzzy TOPSIS, Hemorrhoids, Hemorrhoidectomy, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making.