STORY BYMore than 200 years after astronomer Sir William Herschel discovered infrared radiation in the spectrum of the sun, these invisible rays now known as infrared light are helping hemorrhoid sufferers.
Physicians at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston are using a non-surgical treatment called infrared coagulation to shrink hemorrhoids, a condition in which veins around the anus or lower rectum become swollen and inflamed.
"In 1.5 seconds, we can literally zap the hemorrhoid," says Dr. Grant Fowler, professor and vice chairman of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. "It's painless. No anesthesia is required, and patients don't need pain medication afterward."
The procedure is ideal for people who aren't getting relief from traditional therapies, such as hemorrhoidal creams and suppositories, but don't have hemorrhoids severe enough to warrant surgery.
"It is estimated that 50 to 80 percent of people develop hemorrhoids at some point during their lives," Fowler says. "In most cases, hemorrhoids are not life-threatening, but the pain, itching and bleeding can certainly affect your life. This procedure offers patients a safe, pain-free way to correct chronic hemorrhoids."
Everyone has hemorrhoidal veins. If they stay in place, they shouldn't cause any problems, but chronic constipation or diarrhea, excessive weight, aging and pregnancy can cause the veins to weaken. Gravity takes over, and those veins, along with the mucosa, which is the lining of the anus, can slide down and become kinked and engorged with blood.
The infrared treatment, which is covered by insurance, targets the kink. A small probe contacts the area near the hemorrhoid, exposing the tissue to a burst of infrared light. This coagulates the vein above the hemorrhoid, causing it to shrink.
Patients usually have multiple hemorrhoids, so to avoid discomfort Fowler treats them in intervals. On the first office visit, Fowler treats the most severe hemorrhoid. Then every two to six weeks, Fowler asks patients to return for additional treatments until all the hemorrhoids are gone.
With each treatment, Fowler says, patients may feel a slight sensation of heat, resulting in a mild, dull ache for a few seconds to up to two days. Patients may also notice a small amount of bleeding or a scab a week or two after treatment.
The infrared treatment, Fowler says, is an improvement over previous hemorrhoid therapies, including surgery and rubber banding to cut off the hemorrhoids' blood supply. The new procedure reduces the risk of scarring and infection.
Patients also can return to normal activities immediately after infrared treatment, eliminating the lengthy recovery that is associated with the traditional surgical approach to removing the problematic veins.
Infrared treatment may not be effective for patients with severe hemorrhoids, and even with infrared coagulation to treat mild to moderate hemorrhoids, a small percentage of patients may require a different treatment. For those patients, Fowler recommends a minimally- invasive surgical procedure to alleviate symptoms.
Dr. Erik Wilson, assistant professor of surgery at the UT Medical School, offers an alternative to the hemorrhoidectomy. Instead of cutting and surgically removing the hemorrhoids, he uses a specially-designed stapler to put the prolapsed veins and mucosa back into their proper positions.
"With these two procedures, we can spare patients a painful surgery and lengthy recovery," Fowler says. "Patients don't have to miss any time from work. There is either no pain or minimal discomfort, and patients can enjoy life without hemorrhoids."
UPDATED: 3-18-2005
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Dr. Grant Fowler is professor and vice chairman of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the UT Medical School..
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Dr. Erik Wilson is assistant professor of surgery at the UT Medical School.
See Dr. Wilson also at:
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