WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What do I need to know about sclerotherapy? Sclerotherapy is an outpatient procedure to shrink an internal hemorrhoid. How do I prepare for sclerotherapy? Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare for the procedure. You may need an enema before the procedure. An enema is medicine given to empty out your colon. What will happen during sclerotherapy? You do not need anesthesia or sedation for sclerotherapy. You should not feel pain during the procedure. Your healthcare provider will insert an anoscope into your anus. An anoscope is a small tube that helps your healthcare provider see inside your anus more clearly. He will insert a needle and inject your hemorrhoid with medicine. What can I expect after sclerotherapy? You may feel a dull ache or pressure for up to 3 days after the procedure. You should have minimal or no bleeding. You may need to return to have more medicine injected into the hemorrhoid. What are the risks of sclerotherapy? You may bleed more than expected or develop an infection. You may have pain or swelling. Sclerotherapy may cause infertility in men. You may have an allergic reaction to the medicine. This may become life-threatening. |