Hemorrhoid removal is a highly effective surgical procedure for severe hemorrhoidal disease. Hemorrhoid surgery is usually performed with traditional excision or specialized stapling techniques, and the medical name for this procedure is “Hemorrhoidectomy.”

About Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are naturally occurring clusters of veins and vascular tissue located in the lower rectum and anus. Their main purpose is to act as a cushion and assist with normal bowel control.

Removal of swollen or diseased hemorrhoids is not associated with any impairment of normal bowel function or digestion in most people; rather, it restores comfort and relieves significant pain.

What causes hemorrhoid problems?

Hemorrhoid problems are usually caused by excessive pressure in the lower rectum, which forces these veins to stretch, swell, and bulge.

It is uncertain exactly why some people suffer more severe cases, but risk factors include straining during bowel movements, chronic constipation or diarrhea, prior pregnancy, age over 40 years, and being overweight. Hemorrhoids are also more common as you get older, and some people may have a family history of weak connective tissues in the pelvic region.

While maintaining a high-fiber diet can help reduce the risk, there is no known means to completely prevent hemorrhoids.

These swollen vessels may bleed, prolapse (push outside the anus), or develop internal blood clots, resulting in sharp pain, severe itching, bleeding during bowel movements, and occasionally, noticeable, tender lumps.

How are these problems found and treated?

A visual inspection and a digital rectal examination are most commonly used to find hemorrhoids. In a few more complex cases, a specialized scope such as an anoscope or a colonoscopy may be used to evaluate internal hemorrhoids and rule out other diseases.

Mild hemorrhoids do not always require surgery. Some can be temporarily managed by making dietary adjustments, such as increasing fiber and water intake, or by applying topical treatments. This conservative treatment has a low, short-term success rate for severe or prolapsed cases. Symptoms will eventually continue unless the diseased tissue is removed or reduced. Non-surgical treatments to shrink very large hemorrhoids are largely unsuccessful.

Surgical removal of the hemorrhoidal tissue is the time-honored and safest treatment for extensive, bleeding, or severely painful hemorrhoid disease.