Just like any other surgical procedure, surgery to eliminate hemorrhoids implies entering the operating room, with all the risks it entails. Surgeons use local anesthesia to completely numb the area in order to make the cut and remove the affected zone, usually with a scalpel. This is an extreme procedure, only necessary in case of grade 4 hemorrhoids, that is, prolapsed hemorrhoids with surrounding tissue. Just like any other surgical procedure, it requires a recovery period of several weeks.
As for the postoperative period, it usually involves 2-3 weeks of painful, uncomfortable recovery. Total healing arrives on the 3rd week, if the procedure went well. In the case of less fortunate patients, the pain resulting from these procedures can last up to several months. Moreover, several complications may appear during the recovery period such as infections, bleeding, unhealed wounds, narrowing of the anal channel, anal fissure, urinary retention (which may require a new surgery to be fixed), anal fistula, etc. Furthermore, these procedures do not guarantee the hemorrhoids will not appear again.
All in all, the surgery techniques used to remove or reduce the size of the hemorrhoids are 4 (we go into greater detail on laser surgery on the “LASER” section). Choosing between one and the other depend on the type of hemorrhoid and the symptoms it produces:
Hemorrhoidectomy: Just like any other surgical procedure, hemorrhoidectomy implies entering the operating room, with the risk it entails. Surgeons use local anesthesia to completely numb the area in order to make the cut and remove the affected zone. This is the most common surgery to eliminate hemorrhoids and a scalpel is generally used. This is an extreme procedure, only necessary in case of grade 4 hemorrhoids, that is, prolapsed hemorrhoids with surrounding tissue. Just like any other surgical procedure, hemorrhoidectomy requires a recovery period of several weeks.
Cryotherapy or cryosurgery: This procedure consists of the total freezing and destruction of the hemorrhoid tissue by the application of liquid nitrogen, first reducing the hemorrhoid to subsequently making it disappear. The procedure is rather painful if performed on external hemorrhoids and produces persistent anal secretion if used on exteriorized internal hemorrhoids. Therefore, other methods have been broadly widespread. Besides, relapses are very frequent.
Infrared coagulation: In this technique, the abnormal tissue is exposed to a sudden infrared light discharge (a kind of radiation). This coagulates the proteins of the tissue and evaporates the water of the cells, reducing the blood flow in the area where applied.
Laser: For the past fifteen years laser surgery has been progressively spread. Even though it is a rather controversial method in terms of sanitary profitability, since initial investment is rather expensive and required highly qualified professionals. Surgical laser allows higher precision and cleanliness in the incisions because it allows the surgeon to make very superficial cuts – up to 50 times less deep than the ones done with an electric scalpel –, causing minimum damage to the surrounding tissues, which allows a less bloody surgery and less painful postoperative periods.
As for the postoperative period, it usually involves 2-3 weeks of painful, uncomfortable recovery. Total healing arrives on the 3rd week, if the procedure went well. In the case of less fortunate patients, the pain resulting from these procedures can last up to several months. Moreover, several complications may appear during the recovery period such as infections, bleeding, unhealed wounds, narrowing of the anal channel, anal fissure, urinary retention (which may require a new surgery to be fixed), anal fistula, etc. Furthermore, these procedures do not guarantee the hemorrhoids will not appear again.
All in all, the surgery techniques used to remove or reduce the size of the hemorrhoids are 4 (we go into greater detail on laser surgery on the “LASER” section). Choosing between one and the other depend on the type of hemorrhoid and the symptoms it produces:
Hemorrhoidectomy: Just like any other surgical procedure, hemorrhoidectomy implies entering the operating room, with the risk it entails. Surgeons use local anesthesia to completely numb the area in order to make the cut and remove the affected zone. This is the most common surgery to eliminate hemorrhoids and a scalpel is generally used. This is an extreme procedure, only necessary in case of grade 4 hemorrhoids, that is, prolapsed hemorrhoids with surrounding tissue. Just like any other surgical procedure, hemorrhoidectomy requires a recovery period of several weeks.
Cryotherapy or cryosurgery: This procedure consists of the total freezing and destruction of the hemorrhoid tissue by the application of liquid nitrogen, first reducing the hemorrhoid to subsequently making it disappear. The procedure is rather painful if performed on external hemorrhoids and produces persistent anal secretion if used on exteriorized internal hemorrhoids. Therefore, other methods have been broadly widespread. Besides, relapses are very frequent.
Infrared coagulation: In this technique, the abnormal tissue is exposed to a sudden infrared light discharge (a kind of radiation). This coagulates the proteins of the tissue and evaporates the water of the cells, reducing the blood flow in the area where applied.
Laser: For the past fifteen years laser surgery has been progressively spread. Even though it is a rather controversial method in terms of sanitary profitability, since initial investment is rather expensive and required highly qualified professionals. Surgical laser allows higher precision and cleanliness in the incisions because it allows the surgeon to make very superficial cuts – up to 50 times less deep than the ones done with an electric scalpel –, causing minimum damage to the surrounding tissues, which allows a less bloody surgery and less painful postoperative periods.
