WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What do I need to know about a hemorrhoidectomy? A hemorrhoidectomy is surgery to remove a hemorrhoid. How do I prepare for a hemorrhoidectomy? Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare for surgery. He may tell you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of your surgery. He will tell you what medicines to take or not take on the day of your surgery. You may be given an antibiotic through your IV to help prevent a bacterial infection. Tell a healthcare provider if you have ever had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. Arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery. What will happen during a hemorrhoidectomy? You may be given general anesthesia to keep you asleep and free from pain during surgery. You may instead be given local or spinal anesthesia to numb the surgery area. With local or spinal anesthesia, you may still feel pressure or pushing during surgery, but you should not feel any pain. Your surgeon will make one or more incisions near your hemorrhoid and then remove your hemorrhoid. He may close your incisions with stitches or leave them open. He may place packing in your rectum to control bleeding. A bandage will be placed over your incisions. What will happen after a hemorrhoidectomy? Healthcare providers will monitor you until you are awake. You may be able to go home after surgery or you may need to spend a night in the hospital. You may have pain and bleeding from your incision for a few days. You may have bleeding with bowel movements for several weeks. If you have packing, it may be removed before you go home or in a few days. You may be told to remove it at home instead. What are the risks of a hemorrhoidectomy? Your hemorrhoid may return after surgery. You may bleed more than expected or get an infection. You may have a problem emptying your bladder after surgery. You may need a urinary catheter for a few days to help empty your bladder. Muscles in your rectum and anus may be damaged during surgery. This may make it hard to control your bowel movements. The tools used to remove the hemorrhoid may make a hole in your rectum or bowels. You may need surgery to repair this. |