Hemorrhoid Treatment: The HemWell™ Procedure
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum. If you suffer with hemorrhoids, you may experience discomfort, pain and sometimes bleeding during bowel movements.
Available now is the HemWell™ hemorrhoid procedure, a specialized, minimally invasive electrosurgical technique designed to alleviate hemorrhoid symptoms and improve your quality of life.
How Does It Work?
The HemWell™ hemorrhoid procedure utilizes a low-level, direct electrical current to reduce blood flow to the hemorrhoids painlessly, gently and precisely.
Depending on individual circumstances, the procedure typically is performed in conjunction with a colonoscopy or a flexible sigmoidoscopy. Patients are sedated during the procedure.
A thorough cleansing of the bowel is essential to have an effective colonoscopy while a flexible sigmoidoscopy generally requires preparation with enemas. Please confirm your preparation instructions with your gastroenterologist.
When it is time to begin the examination, you will lie on your side, and the anesthesiology provider will begin intravenous (IV) sedation. During this procedure, your gastroenterologist uses a lighted, flexible tube called a colonoscope that has a small video camera attached to the tip.
The colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy will be performed first. Then, the hemorrhoids will be evaluated.
During the HemWell™ procedure, each column of hemorrhoids is isolated using a disposable anoscope. The applicator is placed at the base of the hemorrhoid. Then, low-level heat is applied to the hemorrhoid. This application may last 4-9 minutes per hemorrhoid, depending on its size.
To allow additional time for the endoscopic portion of the exam, these procedures usually are scheduled for 30-45 minutes. The HemWell™ procedure generally takes 10-15 minutes.
Following the procedure, your gastroenterologist will discuss the findings. Your doctor may recommend using suppositories to help you feel more comfortable and support faster healing.
What to Expect?
Depending on the type of sedation you received, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to recover. You will need someone to drive you home, because it may require a day for the full effects of the sedative to wear off. You should be able to resume normal activity the following day.
After a single treatment, most patients will experience relief. More than one treatment may benefit patients with larger hemorrhoids or those who have required multiple hemorrhoid treatments in the past.
What Are the Benefits?
The HemWell™ hemorrhoid procedure offers the following benefits for patients:
- It is painless, safe, less invasive and more convenient than traditional treatments, resulting in quicker recovery times and reduced discomfort.
- One treatment yields more than 90 percent success. Two or more treatments yield up to 100 percent success.
Is This Procedure Right for You?
Ideal candidates for the HemWell™ hemorrhoid procedure include the following:
- Patients with larger (Grade 3 or 4) hemorrhoids
- Patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids — bleeding, itching and/or pain — regardless of size
If hemorrhoids are causing you pain or discomfort and affecting your quality of life, ask your board-certified gastroenterologist if you can benefit from the HemWell™ hemorrhoid procedure.