In most cases, hemorrhoids can be treated with prescription medications while others prefer natural methods of ridding themselves of this nuisance. There are, however, some cases that are so severe that the aforementioned methods of treatment can only do so well. This is where surgeons and the best surgeries that cure hemorrhoids come in.
There are two kinds of hemorrhoids and each one can be treated with surgery, called hemorrhoidectomy, if necessary. External hemorrhoids or the inflamed vascular structures that develop around the anal opening can be removed through surgery when the problem becomes too big for comfort. When a patient also has anal fissure or a tear, external hemorrhoids that develop can also be removed during the procedure of fixing the tear.
Internal hemorrhoids are those that develop within or along the anal canal. They are usually characterized by rectal bleeding during bowel movement. Other symptoms are the presence of mucous discharge and itchiness. Normally, pain is absent but when the hemorrhoid becomes thrombosed, it becomes painful. Patients who suffer from internal hemorrhoids and fail to treat them with medications and other methods are often advised to undergo hemorrhoidectomy as a last resort.
Kinds of Surgery for Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoidectomy is the general term for the best surgeries that cure this anal disease. This procedure is usually done in an outpatient clinic or at the doctor’s clinic. The patient is usually given local or general anesthesia to numb the affected area or put the patient to sleep. Once the patient is ready, the doctor makes incisions to remove the hemorrhoids. After the hemorrhoids are removed, the incisions are stitched together and may be covered with gauze. These stitches dissolve on their own while the gauze helps control bleeding, if any.
In cases where the hemorrhoids slip down out of the anal canal, the Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids or PPH is advised. This minimally-invasive procedure utilizes a specialized stapler to moves and positions the hemorrhoid back up in the anal canal where there are less nerve endings. This will help alleviate the pain. The device also cuts off the supply of blood to the hemorrhoid which causes it to die.
What Happens After Surgery?
After hemorrhoidectomy, a patient usually recovers for a week or two. During this time, the area which underwent surgery needs time to tighten and relax while healing. The length of the recovery period normally depends on the seriousness and number of the hemorrhoids. In most cases, a patient must endure the pain of the surgery only for a few days to a week. Medications may be given to the patient to relieve the pain. Having a sitz bath can also alleviate the pain. A sitz bath is a kind of water therapy which is done by sitting in a few inches of warm water in effect soaking the affected area. Patients may do some activities that aren’t too strenuous after a week. It usually takes two weeks for compete recovery. After which, a patient may go back to his or her usual activities.
Risks
Any surgical procedure poses some risks and not even the best surgeries that cure hemorrhoids are exempted from such disadvantages. However, the risks are usually minimal and will go away in time. The most common problems after surgery are bleeding, infection, leaking of stool and pain during urination and passing stool.