Haemorrhoid Surgery Brisbane & Gold Coast

How can you treat haemorrhoids?

Dr Terence Chua is a colorectal surgeon who performs haemorrhoid procedures and haemorrhoid surgery across Brisbane, Redland, Sunnybank and the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Procedural treatment for haemorrhoids range from a spectrum of minimalism by banding to surgical excision by haemorrhoidectomy. Depending on the size and location of your haemorrhoids, Dr Chua will tailor a suitable procedure to best suit your needs to balance improve outcomes with pain.

What is involved in haemorrhoid banding?

Banding is a common treatment used for moderate sized haemorrhoids and is best performed in conjunction with your colonoscopy procedure. Rubber bands applied to the haemorrhoids constrict the blood supply to the haemorrhoid resulting in separation of the haemorrhoid in 4-7 days. Banding procedure is largely well tolerated and patients can resume normal activities immediately. However, at times, it can cause an unpleasant sensation of needing to defecate and occasionally can cause pain. Simple analgesia, like panadol, is often all that is required in the majority of patients after banding. When needing to defaecate, it is important to not strain your bowels and to prevent constipation. If you experience excessive bleeding, difficulty passing urine or increasing pain, you should return to see Dr Chua as soon as possible. It is normal to see small amount of blood being passed at the 4th to 7th day mark when the haemorrhoid is falling off.

What is involved in a haemorrhoidectomy?

Larger haemorrhoids are treated by haemorrhoidectomy or haemorrhoid artery ligation. This is performed under general anaesthesia in a hospital and is commonly performed using an energy device to facilitate surgical excision. The raw area in the anal canal after haemorrhoidectomy can be painful and will take up to 4-6 weeks to achieve complete healing. Although the recovery from the procedure is painful, it is the most effective treatment for large haemorrhoids.

What is involved in haemorrhoid artery ligation?

An alternate treatment for larger haemorrhoids is by Doppler-guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation, where a sonographic device is used to detect blood flow and a directed suture is applied to reduce blood flow into the haemorrhoid causing it to shrink. Any prolapsing component of the haemorrhoid can be sutured upwards into the anal canal by haemorrhoidopexy. This may result in less pain than conventional haemorrhoidectomy and may be appropriate in selected patients. 

What is the recovery like after haemorrhoid surgery?

Recovery after haemorrhoid surgery focuses on optimal pain relief, ensuring normal bowel movement and wound care.

A local anaesthetic is administered to provide a locoregional block to reduce early postoperative pain. However, oral pain relief will be required immediately after. This will include a combination of panadol 1g 4 times a day and ibuprofen 400mg three times a day as baseline pain relief with additional pain relief tablet (Endone 5mg) used as required. Do not drive or work whilst using Endone.

Bowel movement will continue to occur but at times suboptimal pain relief can impair your ability to defecate. Passage of hard stools can also cause more discomfort and pain. Therefore, it is important to ensure that constipation is avoided by increasing the consumption of green leafy vegetables and ensure adequate hydration by drinking at least 2 to 3 litres of water a day. In addition, Normafibe a fibre supplement, can be used to help prevent constipation.

As the wounds from haemorrhoidectomy are within the anal canal, it is not possible to apply any dressings other than a pad to absorb any fluid leaking from the wound. The open wound rarely becomes infected. However, it is important use warm salt baths. Salt baths will sooth the pain during the recovery process and help keep the anal canal clean.