Hemorrhoid Treatments
Discover the types of hemorrhoid treatments available at Wake Gastro.
Hemorrhoid Treatments Available:
Rubber Band Ligation
Internal hemorrhoids are one of the most common causes of rectal complaints and bleeding in the country. In spite of conservative management and topical creams often patients tend to have ongoing symptoms. We are currently using the OCRH O’Regan System for definitive treatment of internal hemorrhoids. This highly effective, minimally invasive procedure is performed in our offices in just a few minutes, and most patients return to work that same day. We make recommendations to reduce the chance of recurrence later (currently 5% in two years). Typically, we treat one hemorrhoid at a time in separate visits.
During the brief and painless procedure, we use a small rubber band to ligate the tissue just above the internal hemorrhoid where there are few pain-sensitive nerve endings. Unlike traditional banding techniques that use a metal-toothed clamp to grasp the tissue, we use a gentle suction device, reducing the risk of pain and bleeding. The banding procedure works by causing focal sclerosis of the rectal mucosa and thus interrupting the blood supply to the hemorrhoid. This causes the obliteration of the hemorrhoid. Patients won’t even notice when this happens or be able to spot the rubber band in the toilet. Once the hemorrhoid is gone, the internal wound usually heals over several weeks.
Soon after the procedure, some patients may experience a feeling of fullness or a dull ache in the rectum. This can typically be relieved with Tylenol. However, over 99% of patients treated with our method have no significant pain or complication. In fact, thanks to design improvements, this procedure has a ten-fold reduction in complications compared to traditional banding. The new instrument is smaller, affording greater comfort for patients and better visualization for the physician. Unlike other devices, this is a single-use instrument that is disposable.
