Hemorrhoid Surgery as a Last Resort

Hemorrhoids are nearly always a transient condition. However, if severe hemorrhoids persist or are recurrent in spite of good hygiene practices, home care remedies, a healthy diet, and regular exercise, surgery as a last resort may be necessary for enduring relief.

Surgery, or a hemorrhoidectomy, is required in less than one percent of cases and should be considered only when all other treatments have failed. Depending on the location and severity of the offending hemorrhoids, minimally invasive procedures can be performed with local anesthesia in a surgeon’s office or on an outpatient basis.

While still unpleasant and painful, the aftercare and recovery time associated with these procedures are significantly less than with major surgery. Less invasive techniques block the blood supply to the hemorrhoid causing it to die and slough off.

One such procedure is rubber band ligation (RBL), whereby a physician places a band around the base of the hemorrhoid, strangulating the blood flow. Similarly, stapling devices also interrupt circulation to hemorrhoids and tend to be less painful than RBL. Continue reading →