Hemorrhoid or piles laser has been considered the best and most advanced method of treating hemorrhoids or piles over the past few decades. Hemorrhoid laser is performed in two ways: 1- laser therapy with low-power laser or infrared coagulation (IRC) and 2- high-power CO2 laser, which is used in hemorrhoidectomies.
Dr. Zahra Saadati is among the first general surgeons who started laser therapy and laser surgery in Iran in 2005. However, many surgeons, even in Tehran, perform hemorrhoid or piles surgery through conventional methods with blades and cauters. Due to the familiarity of patients with this new technology in medicine, hemorrhoid laser has received great attention from patients and increased their satisfaction.
What are the advantages of hemorrhoid laser over other methods?
Hemorrhoid or piles laser is a less invasive procedure. Both low-power and high-power lasers can produce excellent therapeutic results if they are correctly employed for treating different types of hemorrhoid. A low-power laser can be used in nonsurgical procedures without making incisions for treating mild hemorrhoids. In addition, a high-power laser can be employed in surgical procedures and hemorrhoidectomies to treat all types of anal diseases because this type of laser emits superthin or very thin fibers. It is hence a good alternative to surgical blades and cauters. Since surgical laser does not damage the surrounding healthy tissue, it is recommended to be used in highly delicate and complex surgeries. The surgeon’s proficiency and experience are of special importance in the use of high-power laser in surgical procedures. Cauterization is a medical practice or technique that uses electricity, whereas laser surgery takes advantage of laser light technology. The head of vessels and veins are burned in cauterization to reduce bleeding, while laser both reduces bleeding and repairs the affected vessels.
Hemorrhoid laser using low-power infrared coagulation (IRC):
This technique, which is based on laser light emission, treats hemorrhoids or piles without causing even a drip of bleed because it makes no incision at the affected area. It is also performed without the need for anesthesia. In this technique, the superior terminal arteries of the rectum are visualized by a Doppler transducer (20 MHz 3 mm probe) placed at the end of a specially designed proscope. After detecting the hemorrhoid paques, the laser light is emitted to paques to amplify the electric current in the 980-nm fiber laser diode and stop bleeding. Laser emission is repeated in a clockwise direction as many times as necessary.
Hemorrhoid laser has a simple mechanism; the laser light is absorbed by the red blood cells involved in hemorrhoid paques and, as a result, the red blood cells and blood clots in this area are depleted over time. It is noteworthy that hemorrhoid laser therapy is different from hemorrhoid laser surgery.
Laser hemorrhoidectomy
Hemorrhoidectomy is one of the methods of hemorrhoid surgery. If this procedure is performed using a high-power laser, it can prevent considerably prevent the common complications of hemorrhoid surgery. Hemorrhoid laser surgery can minimize the risk of recurrence. The surgeon’s proficiency and experience in using high-power laser can affect the healing process.
Since the high-power laser does not directly contact the body tissue when making incisions, the risk of transmission of infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS during this procedure is almost zero. Unlike cauterization the causes postoperative severe burning and itching, laser light repairs the affected vessels and nerves at the same time. Since the high-power fiber laser is very thin or superthin, it can be employed for treating a large area of the body without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.
What are the benefits of hemorrhoid laser?
The restorative properties and superthinness of hemorrhoid or piles fiber laser are two major features that cannot be underestimated. The effects of these features are as follows:
- The patient feels less bleeding, and faster wound healing leads to a shorter recovery period.
- Postoperative pain reduces by about 70% compared to conventional surgery.
- The risk of transmission of infectious diseases during surgery is almost zero.
- The risk of infections, as one of the causes of postoperative pain, is minimized.
- The patient does not need wound dressing and exhausting postoperative care
- It is possible to treat other anorectal diseases, such as anal fissures, at the same time as hemorrhoid surgery.
- The risk of recurrence is almost zero after hemorrhoid laser surgery.
- The patient can quickly return to normal life and the workplace.
- Hemorrhoid laser surgery is an outpatient procedure that does not require local or general anesthesia.
What is the difference between hemorrhoid laser and surgical blade?
Many patients ask questions about the difference between hemorrhoid laser and surgical blade. It should be stated that the high-power laser makes incisions very delicately and carefully. The proficiency of the general surgeon and laser surgery specialist in the use of high-power laser is also very important. Moreover, conventional surgery using surgical blades and knives causes severe bleeding and inflammation, leading to long-lasting complications and problems. By contrast, it has been reported that the complications caused by laser surgery are 70% fewer than those of conventional surgery with blades and knives. This advantage of laser surgery shortens the recovery period and allows the patient to return to normal life very quickly.
A video of hemorrhoid or piles laser surgery
Here you can watch a video of hemorrhoid or piles laser surgery. You can see how the laser probe is pushed into the paque of internal hemorrhoids or piles. This method aims to shrink hemorrhoids by removing the blood clots inside the internal hemorrhoids.
Frequently asked questions (FAQa) about hemorrhoid laser:
1-Does laser completely remove hemorrhoids?
If hemorrhoids are treated by high-power laser, which is called laser hemorrhoidectomy, they can be completely removed. By contrast, hemorrhoid laser therapy only removes the discharges inside the hemorrhoid paque, i.e. blood clots, and does not remove the whole hemorrhoid paque.
2-Is hemorrhoid laser a painful procedure?
Any surgical procedure has a specific severity of pain and recovery period. However, the pain caused by hemorrhoid laser surgery is about 70% less than that of conventional surgery. The restorative properties of laser and its superthin fiber reduce postoperative pain and bleeding. In fact, the pain after hemorrhoid laser surgery can be easily relieved by a simple painkiller.
3-Is hemorrhoid laser surgery a definitive treatment?
A high-power laser is recommended to be used for treating extensive and serious hemorrhoids. The risk of recurrence of hemorrhoids after laser surgery is almost zero. In addition, general surgeons can use this technique to definitively treat many anorectal diseases, such as hemorrhoids and anal fissures, in a single session.
4-How long is the recovery period after hemorrhoid laser?
After hemorrhoid laser surgery, you need to rest at home for only one night. Most patients undergoing this procedure can return to normal life and their workplaces the next day. However, those who are physiologically weaker or undergo more extensive surgery need to rest for 4 days and then they can return to normal life. Laser therapy without hemorrhoid surgery does not require a long recovery period; only one night rest is enough.
5-How long does hemorrhoid or piles laser surgery last?
Laser therapy lasts 20 minutes at most, and preoperative preparations and postoperative care and discharge may take about 2 or 3 hours. Patients are discharged immediately after hemorrhoid laser and do not need to be hospitalized.
6-Is hemorrhoid laser performed under anesthesia?
This procedure does not require general anesthesia; only spinal anesthesia is induced to the patient to be numbed from the waist down and feel no pain. Nevertheless, general anesthesia can be employed for patients who are afraid of the clinic environment or laser therapy.
7-Can laser therapy be applied for treating all types of hemorrhoids?
Depending on the type of hemorrhoids, different laser treatments can be applied. Mild hemorrhoids, which do not need surgery or hemorrhoidectomy, can be treated with a low-power laser. However, advanced hemorrhoids should be treated using the high-power CO2 laser. This laser treatment causes much fewer complications than conventional hemorrhoid surgery.
8-How much does hemorrhoid laser cost?
Hemorrhoid laser usually costs more than conventional surgery with blade and cauter and is not performed in public hospitals. Therefore, hemorrhoid laser may cost at least 20,000,000 rials or more depending on the laser type, the location and facilities of the laser clinic, and the proficiency of the general surgeon and laser surgery specialist. Although hemorrhoid laser is more expensive than conventional surgery, it is more cost-effective because it requires a very short recovery period and ensures a recurrence risk of almost zero.
9-What are the characteristics of hemorrhoid laser clinics?
Clinics that perform hemorrhoid or piles laser surgery should be equipped with a high-power CO2 laser device. In addition, the medical staff in such clinics should include an anesthesiologist and a general surgeon certified with a laser surgery fellowship. Although hemorrhoid laser is an outpatient procedure, such clinics should be equipped with the necessary facilities for general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia.
10-How can the surgeon’s experience and proficiency affect the results of hemorrhoid laser?
There is no doubt that the surgeon’s experience and proficiency can ensure the irreversible therapeutic results of hemorrhoid surgery. Dr. Zahra Saadati has performed thousands of successful hemorrhoid surgeries using high-power laser since 2007, without only one report of recurrence or serious complications. Dr. Saadati performs all laser surgical procedures herself without the intervention of any other physician or specialist.