HAEMORRHOIDECTOMY : Piles (haemorrhoids) are the loose lining of skin that bulges out through the ring muscle which holds the back passage shut. They contain big blood vessels which can bleed or clot up and cause pain. The loose skin can produce irritating tags. Haemorrhoidectomy simply means removal of the haemorrhoids.
Not all haemorrhoids must be removed. Most haemorrhoids can be treated without surgery. In fact, haemorrhoidectomy is usually only recommended for the most severe conditions. These include haemorrhoids that have not responded to other types of treatment or very large and very painful haemorrhoids.
A haemorrhoidectomy can be done using local or general anaesthesia. Local anaesthesia results in a loss of feeling in the area where the surgery is to be done even though the patient remains awake. General anaesthesia causes the patient to become unconscious during the operation and not have any pain during the surgery.
During a haemorrhoidectomy, the patient is positioned so that the anorectal area is fully exposed. The haemorrhoid is clamped, tied off, and then cut away. Special care is taken not to damage the muscles that control the anal opening that allows bowel movements to pass through.
