Transanal Hemorrhoidal Deartialization
Hemorrhoids are veins that have become swollen due to an increase in physical pressure on that area of the body. Hemorrhoids usually become apparent when someone is experiencing constipation or diarrhea, because the veins often bleed.
Approximately half of all Americans will suffer from hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. The condition tends to be more prevalent in:
- Obese people
- People who work at a job that requires heavy lifting
- Pregnant women
- Those with a family history of hemorrhoids
- People who sit on the toilet too long
Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital provides minimally invasive surgery to treat hemorrhoids called transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD). The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and takes approximately 20 minutes. During the procedure, the surgeon ties off the arterial blood flow of the hemorrhoid, causing it to shrink. No tissue is removed, and any prolapse repairs or lifts are done at the same time, also without removing tissue. Patients report less pain, fewer complications and a shorter recovery time (24-48 hours) compared to traditional hemorrhoid surgical treatments.