Assessment of Level of Satisfaction, Pain, and Postoperative Healing in Patients Undergoing Outpatient Clinic CO2 Laser Anal Skin Tag Resection with Topical and Injectable Local Anesthesia

The use of CO2 lasers in surgical procedures is well-established in medicine; however, data are still scarce in coloproctology, especially regarding anal skin tags. To assess the degree of satisfaction, pain, and postoperative healing in patients undergoing outpatient clinic CO2 laser anal skin tag resection with topical and injectable local anesthesia and its complications. Prospective collection of data on patients with anal skin tags operated at a private clinic in São Paulo with topical and injectable local anesthesia and use of CO2 laser. The need for intraoperative stitches, opioids, and corticosteroids was assessed, as well as patient satisfaction and level of pain based on the analogue pain scale. 39 patients were evaluated, of whom 36 (92.3%) were women. The main complaint was aesthetics (51.2%). The average healing time was 3.7 + 1.8 weeks, and the average pain was 2.4 + 2.7. Six patients required stitches due to bleeding, and the presence of stitches did not increase the healing time or the need for opioids. One patient presented with bleeding in the 1st postoperative period and needed reintervention in a surgical facility, 2 presented with fissures, and 12 with residual skin tags. Thirty-eight patients were satisfied. Anal skin tag resection with topical and injectable local anesthesia and CO2 laser is an effective and safe procedure at an outpatient level. Its advantages are low levels of postoperative pain, rapid healing, and low rates of serious complications with a high degree of patient satisfaction.