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Hemorrhoidectomy

Table of Contents

Surgery Overview

Hemorrhoidectomy is surgery to remove hemorrhoids. These are swollen veins in the anal area. During this surgery, the doctor will cut out the swollen veins. After surgery, the pain and itching from your hemorrhoids should go away.

After this surgery, you will probably go home the same day. You will have some pain in your anal area. You may also have light bleeding from your anus. These symptoms may last for 1 to 2 months. Your doctor will give you medicine to help relieve your pain. Your doctor may also give you stool softeners. These help make your bowel movements easier.

Avoid heavy lifting for 4 weeks after surgery. You will probably need to take 1 to 2 weeks off from work. This depends on the type of work you do and how you feel.

What To Expect

Recovery takes about 2 to 3 weeks.

Why It Is Done

Hemorrhoidectomy may be done when you have:

How Well It Works

Surgery usually cures a hemorrhoid. But the long-term success of hemorrhoid surgery depends a lot on how well you are able to change your daily bowel habits to avoid constipation and straining. About 5 out of 100 people have hemorrhoids that come back after surgery.1

Risks

Pain, bleeding, and not being able to urinate (urinary retention) are the most common side effects of hemorrhoidectomy.

Other relatively rare risks include the following problems.

Early problems

Late problems

References

Citations

  1. Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (2008). SSAT Patient Care Guidelines: Surgical Management of Hemorrhoids. Available online: http://www.ssat.com/cgi-bin/hemorr.cgi.

Credits for Hemorrhoidectomy

Current as of: July 26, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
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