The symptoms of pathological hemorrhoids depend on the type of hemorrhoid present.


• Internal hemorrhoids: This type of hemorrhoids usually present with painless, bright red, rectal bleeding during or following a bowel movement. The blood typically covers the stool is on the toilet paper or drips into the toilet bowl. The stool itself is usually normally colored.
• External hemorrhoids: This hemorrhoid may produce few symptoms or if thrombosed (blockage of blood vessels), they cause significant pain and swelling in the area of the anus. Many people incorrectly refer to any symptom occurring around the anal-rectal area as "hemorrhoids" and thus serious causes like cancer may be missed so it's very important to rule out malignancy.

• Hemorrhoids are typically diagnosed by physical examination. A visual examination of the anus and surrounding area may diagnose external or prolapsed hemorrhoids. Visual confirmation of internal hemorrhoids requires Anoscopy, a hollow tube device with a light attached at one end. There are two types of hemorrhoids: external and internal. These are differentiated by their position with respect to the dentate line. A rectal exam may be performed to detect possible rectal tumors & polyps.
• Internal Hemorrhoids Internal hemorrhoids are those that originate above the dentate line. They are covered by columnar epithelium which lacks pain receptors, that the reason that they are painless. They were classified into four grades based on the degree of prolapse.
• Grade I:No prolapse. Just prominent blood vessels.
• Grade II: Prolapse upon bearing down but spontaneously reduce.
• Grade III: Prolapse upon bearing down and requires manual reduction.
• Grade IV: Prolapsed and cannot be manually reduced.
• External Hemorrhoids - External hemorrhoids are those that occur below the dentate or pectinate line. They are covered proximately by anoderm and distally by a skin, both of which are sensitive to pain and temperature.
• he primary concern of patients with rectal bleeding is the possibility of colorectal cancer. Other diagnoses that may need to be excluded include colitis like inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, and angiodysplasia. More extensive endoscopic evaluation with complete colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy is indicated in following conditions.
• Positive fecal occult blood test
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Family history of colorectal cancer or polyp

TREATMENT

Medical treatment - Medical treatment includes a diet rich with fibers, intake of oral fluids to maintain hydration and sitz baths.

Office Procedure (Treatment) - A number of office-based procedures may be performed. While generally safe, rare serious side effects such as perianal sepsis may occur. Blood tests to measure your blood counts, your risk of bleeding or infection, how well your liver and kidneys are working and blood grouping, in case you need a blood transfusion.

Chest x-ray and ECG (electrocardiogram) to check your lungs and your hearts electrical system. Rubber band ligation is typically recommended as the first line treatment in those with grade 1 to 3 disease. It is a procedure in which elastic bands are applied on to internal hemorrhoid at least 1 cm above the dentate line to cut off its blood supply. Within 5"7 days, withered hemorrhoid falls off. Cure rate has been found to be about 87% with a complication rate of up to 3%.

Sclerotherapy involves the injection of a sclerosing agent, such as phenol, into hemorrhoid. This causes the vein walls to collapse and the hemorrhoids to shrivel up. The success rate four years after treatment is ~70% which is higher than that with rubber band ligation.

Cauterization methods: A number of cauterization methods have been shown to be effective for hemorrhoids, but are usually only used when other methods fail. This procedure can be done using electrocautery, infrared radiation, laser surgery or cryosurgery. These methods may be an option for grade 1 or 2 diseases. In those with grade 3 or 4 disease re-occurrence rates are high. Rubber band ligation and Sclerotherapy.

Excisional hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical excision of hemorrhoid used primarily only in severe cases. It is associated with significant post-operative pain and usually requires 2"4 weeks for recovery. However, there is a greater long-term benefit in those with grade 3 hemorrhoids as compared to rubber band ligation. It is the recommended treatment in those with a thrombosed external hemorrhoid if carried out within 24"72 hours.

Doppler-guided, transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization is a minimally invasive treatment using an ultrasound doppler to accurately locate the arterial blood inflow. These arteries are then "tied off" and the prolapsed tissue is sutured back to its normal position. It has a slightly higher recurrence rate, but fewer complications compared to a hemorrhoidectomy.

Stapled hemorrhoidectomy (stapled hemorrhoid epoxy), is a procedure that involves the removal of much of the abnormally enlarged hemorrhoidal tissue, followed by a repositioning of the remaining hemorrhoidal tissue back to its normal anatomic position. It is generally less painful and is associated with faster healing compared to complete removal of hemorrhoids. However, the chance of symptomatic hemorrhoids returning is greater than for conventional hemorrhoidectomy and thus it is typically only recommended for grade 2 or 3 diseases. Exceptionally rare but potentially devastating complications include anovaginal fistula, substantial hemorrhage, and rectal perforation and/or retroperitoneal sepsis.

Stapled haemorrhoidopexy is a new alternative available for individuals with significant haemorrhoidal prolapse. It involves a mucosal and submucosal, circular resection of the haemorrhoidal columns at their apex. In addition, the blood supply is interrupted and haemorrhoids are fixed to the distal rectal muscular wall. This is all accomplished by a single firing of a modified, circular anastomotic stapler.

Our expert team members shall help you to prepare you for surgery. Pre-operative testing 1in most cases, you will need some tests before your surgery. The tests routinely used include:

Blood tests to measure your blood counts, your risk of bleeding or infection, how well your liver and kidneys are working and blood grouping, in case you need a blood transfusion.

Anaesthetic Assessment before Surgery:

Our expert team members shall help you to prepare you for surgery. Pre-operative testing 1in most cases, you will need some tests before your surgery. The tests routinely used include:

Our expert team of Anaesthetist will ask you questions pertaining to your health and to assess your fitness for surgery. You are requested to tell them in detail about your current and past medical ailments, allergic reactions you've had in the past and current medicines that you are taking like blood thinning medicine. This medicine should be stopped prior to surgery to minimize the risk of bleeding during /after surgery.

• Informed Consent -Informed consent is one of the most important parts of getting ready for surgery. It is a process during which you are told about all aspects of the treatment before you give written permission to perform the surgery.
• Getting ready for Surgery - Depending on the type of operation you have, there may be things you need to do to be ready for surgery: Emptying your stomach and bowels (digestive tract) is important. Vomiting while under anesthesia can be very dangerous because the vomitus could get into your lungs and cause an infection. Because of this, you will be asked to not eat or drink anything starting the night before the surgery or at least 6 hours before surgery.
• Laxative: You may also be asked to use a laxative or an enema to make sure your bowels are empty.
• Shaving off an operative part: You need to have an area of your body shaved to keep hair from getting into the surgical cut (incision). The area will be cleaned before the operation to reduce the risk of infection.

Anaesthesia is the use of drugs to make the body unable to feel pain for a period of time. General anesthesia puts you into a deep sleep for the surgery. It is often started by having you breathe into a face mask or by putting a drug into a vein in your arm. Once you are asleep, an endotracheal or ET tube is put in your throat to make it easy for you to breathe. Your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure (vital signs) will be closely watched during the surgery. A doctor watches you throughout the procedure and until you wake up. They also take out the ET tube when the operation is over. You will be taken to the recovery room to be watched closely while the effects of the drugs wear off. This may take hours. People waking up from general anesthesia often feel "out of it" for some time. Things may seem hazy or dream-like for a while. Your throat may be sore for a while from the endotracheal (ET) tube.

RECOVERY FROM SURGERY - Pain You may feel pain at the site of surgery. We aim to keep you pain-free after surgery with the help of latest and most effective technique or analgesic (pain relieving medicine).

Eating and Drinking - You will be allowed orally liquids once you recover from an effect of anesthesia medicine and you don't have nausea or vomiting. Gradually you can add soft to a normal diet.

Activity - Our healthcare team will try to have you move around as soon as possible after surgery. You are encouraged to get out of bed and walk the same day. While this may be hard at first, it helps speed your recovery. It also helps your circulation and helps prevent blood clots from forming in your legs.

Going home - Once you are eating and walking, and then you are ready to go home, in most case in next day following surgery. Before leaving for home or health care team shall give you detailed guidance regarding diet, activities, medications & further plan of treatment.

There are risks that go with any type of medical procedure and surgery is no longer an exception. Success of surgery depends upon 3 factors: type of disease/surgery, experience of surgeon and overall health of patients. What's important is whether the expected benefits outweigh the possible risks.

Complications in major surgical procedures include: Complications related to Anaesthesia: Reactions to drugs used (anesthesia) or other medicines. Although rare, these can be serious because they can cause dangerously low blood pressures. Complications related to underlying medical illness like heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, malnutrition. Complications related to Specific Operations: bleeding, rectal perforation & sepsis, recto-vaginal fistula.

Nutrition Our health care team shall advise you in detail regarding dietary habits, Briefly, your diet begins with liquids followed by gradual advance to solid foods.Exercise Patients are encouraged to engage in light activity while at home. You will be able to get back to your normal activities within a short amount of time (week). Follow up You may be advised to see our healthcare team after 1 week to assess your progress and to address your problems.