Transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD) is a minimally invasive surgery for treating hemorrhoids, which are swollen vessels in the rectum. Surgeons may use THD on internal hemorrhoids that cannot be treated without surgery. The procedure is quick and can be done on an outpatient basis at our Beverly Hills-based outpatient facility.
If you are concerned you have internal hemorrhoids, call and schedule a consultation at our outpatient facility in Beverly Hills with one of our hemorrhoid specialists, who can determine your situation and appropriate treatment options.
How Do I Know if My Hemorrhoids Are Internal?
Internal hemorrhoids are deep inside the rectum, and often can’t be felt or seen. However, sometimes these internal hemorrhoids can become enlarged and protrude around the sphincter, causing them to reach the outside of the anus.
Signs to watch out for if you think you might have internal hemorrhoids:
- Blood in stool
- Bulge or protrusion on anus
- Irritation or pain in bulge or protrusion
Before Your THD Procedure
If our board-certified hemorrhoid surgeons determine that you are a good candidate for THD, they will schedule a procedure at the Hemorrhoid Center of Excellence in Beverly Hills. Before your surgery, you may be required to stop taking certain medications like aspirin and other drugs that affect your blood’s ability to clot. The doctors may further instruct you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of the surgery.
THD Hemorrhoid Removal
During the procedure, your surgeon locates the hemorrhoid using ultrasound and ties off the hemorrhoid using ligation. Once this is done, the hemorrhoid is then lifted up, moved and sewn back into its original placement. Each hemorrhoid requires about four to six stitches. Unlike other types of hemorrhoid treatments, THD involves no cutting – only restricting the blood vessels.
The technology of this procedure enables surgeons to place stitches in precise locations, so they simply impede the blood flow, without taking extra tissue. This is one of the main differences between THD and hemorrhoidectomies (also known as PPH), another common treatment for hemorrhoids. During a hemorrhoidectomy, the tissue is actually removed, and while this is sometimes necessary, it is significantly more painful.
Toward the end of the procedure, your surgeon will inject you with an inflammatory drug, which will help with pain relief for about six to seven days following the surgery.
Benefits of THD for Hemorrhoids
There are many situations in which a hemorrhoidectomy must be performed. However, if you are a candidate for THD, one of the advantages of this procedure is that no tissue is removed, which means your recovery time is much faster. But THD is not applicable to all patients, and selection is based on each patient’s unique situation and anatomy.
The purpose of using THD over other treatments is to cause the least amount of discomfort in the patient, so if you qualify for THD then that can be a major benefit.
THD is a slightly longer procedure than other hemorrhoid treatments such as hemorrhoidectomies, but this is because each section is treated separately and no extra tissue is removed. The surgery tends to take less than an hour, and patients can still go home the same day as their surgery.
Contact the Hemorrhoid Surgery Specialists Today
For more information about hemorrhoid testing and treatments, feel free to schedule a consultation by calling (888) 742-2032. Our Los Angeles colorectal surgeons look forward to performing your hemorrhoid treatment.
Next, learn about PPH (hemorrhoidectomies).
