Piles is a painful condition and often patients suffer for years without seeking treatment. But now, there is a safer and faster option for you.
Kadha or herbal immunity concoctions have become an integral part of one’s life during these unprecedented times. But this has had an unexpected fallout. Because many people are consuming kadhas without the knowledge of doctors during COVID-19, there has been a surge in the number of piles patients and other related painful conditions. Kadha is basically a herbal concoction that includes ginger, lemon, garlic, turmeric, pepper, Aloe Vera, or berries. Consumption of kadha has increased at an alarming rate mainly by those who have comorbidities or are on blood thinners, or medications for chronic diseases. Anything more than the specified quantity can lead to health issues ranging from constipation, increased body heat, excessive bleeding, and piles. Having piles can steal your peace of mind and it can be embarrassing as well.
But the good news is that piles can be treated easily now. Besides the traditional methods of treating this condition, one recent laser procedure is gaining a lot of popularity among patients. Laser hemorrhoidoplasty is finding a lot of favour because it has a very short recovery time and a higher safety margin as compared to other modalities of treatment.
The pain of piles
Piles are swollen vessels (cushions) that are seen in the anorectal region (anus). They are classified as grade I when they are not prolapsing but are seen as congested vessels. Grade II is when they prolapse during defecation but spontaneously reduce. Grade III is when they prolapse and need manual reduction and grade IV is when they are irreducible. Symptomatic hemorrhoids can present with pain, itching, bleeding, discharge or prolapse. Initial treatment consisting of lifestyle modifications. Sometimes, phlebotonics can also be administered to the patients. After the failure of conservative treatment, piles can be treated with various other treatment modalities.
Use of laser in the treatment of piles
Hemorrhoids is the most common benign anorectal condition diagnosed in the outpatient setup. Treatment options range from office-based procedures to hemorrhoidectomy. Now, laser technology is increasingly in demand in the field of proctology. Laser energy is a novel technique that is currently used for piles, fissures, fistula, and pilonidal sinus cases. Probes are used to produce short, high-energy pulses of light that are transformed into heat energy which is absorbed by the surrounding tissues.
Laser hemorrhoidoplasty: A safer option
Intra-hemorrhoidal laser coagulation or Laser hemorrhoidoplasty (LHP) is the latest 30-minute treatment and a day-care procedure available for piles. It is a technically simple, minimally invasive, safe, and effective sphincter-saving procedure. It is more preferred in comparison with conventional open surgical hemorrhoidectomy. It involves the administration of pulse laser energy to the submucosal rectal tissue allowing ablation, vaporization and coagulation of vessels, with limited damage to the surrounding tissue.
Benefits of this procedure
There are many benefits of this procedure. One can resume work soon after the procedure. This laser ablation is more effective than operative treatment. Here are some of its benefits.
- It has a shorter duration of postoperative pain.
- There is better regression of hemorrhoidal pockets.
- It offers quick symptomatic relief to the patients.
- There are also no chances of fecal leak or incontinence.
- It is a safer technique due to fewer post-operative complications such as bleeding, pain, stenosis, and recurrence.
- There will be fewer hospital visits after the surgery as there are fewer chances of infection while open surgery for piles is associated with bleeding, complications, pain, and infection which can result in a prolonged hospital stay.
This post first appeared on The Health Site
