Hemorrhoidectomy

What To Expect

Recovery takes about 2 to 3 weeks.

• You can expect some pain after surgery. If your doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed. Ask your doctor what over-the-counter medicines are safe for you.
• Some bleeding is normal, especially with the first bowel movement after surgery.
• Some doctors may recommend that you take an antibiotic (such as metronidazole) after surgery to prevent infection and reduce pain.
• Follow-up exams with the surgeon usually are done 2 to 3 weeks after surgery to check for problems.

Why It Is Done

Hemorrhoidectomy may be done when you have:

• Very large internal hemorrhoids.
• Internal hemorrhoids that still cause symptoms after nonsurgical treatment.
• Large external hemorrhoids that cause a lot of discomfort and make it hard to keep the anal area clean.
• Both internal and external hemorrhoids.
• Had other treatments for hemorrhoids (such as rubber band ligation) that have not helped.

How Well It Works

Surgery usually cures a hemorrhoid. But the long-term success of hemorrhoid surgery depends a lot on how well you are able to change your daily bowel habits to avoid constipation and straining. About 5 out of 100 people have hemorrhoids that come back after surgery.^{footnote 1}

Risks

Pain, bleeding, and not being able to urinate (urinary retention) are the most common side effects of hemorrhoidectomy.

Other relatively rare risks include the following problems.

Early problems

• Bleeding from the anal area
• Collection of blood in the surgical area (hematoma)
• Not being able to control the bowel or bladder (incontinence)
• Infection of the surgical area
• Stool trapped in the anal canal (fecal impaction)

Late problems

• Narrowing (stenosis) of the anal canal
• Return of hemorrhoids
• An abnormal passage (fistula) that forms between the anal or rectal canal and another area
• Rectal prolapse, which happens when the rectal lining slips out of the anal opening