Has your doctor recommended that you have a stapled hemorrhoidectomy to address your hemorrhoids? The name sounds a bit scary, but this is just one of several hemorrhoid surgery procedures, and it is actually one of the more common ones. Still, it is helpful to know what to expect as your surgery date approaches, so take a look at the information below.

When is a stapled hemorrhoidectomy recommended?

This procedure is usually recommended when a patient has prolapsed hemorrhoids. In other words, if your hemorrhoids have begun protruding from your rectum, this is the surgical approach your surgeon is likely to use. If not all of your hemorrhoids have prolapsed, don't worry — the surgery will fix both those that have and those that have not.

What takes place during a stapled hemorrhoidectomy?

First, understand that the name of this surgery is a bit inaccurate. The procedure, unlike other hemorrhoid surgeries, does not actually remove the hemorrhoids. Rather, it addresses the hemorrhoids in a way that causes the body to remove them itself. 

Basically, your surgeon will push the protruding hemorrhoids back up into the rectum. Then, they will use a combination of sutures and staples to hold the hemorrhoids in place against the rectal walls. The instrument used to do the stapling does also remove some of the hemorrhoid tissue, creating a "raw edge" so to speak. This edge will later heal against the rectal wall as the body reabsorbs the excess hemorrhoid tissue. The blood vessels leading to each hemorrhoid are also cut. Without a strong blood supply, the hemorrhoid tissue lowly dies off. Each hemorrhoid will be addressed in the same manner.

A stapled hemorrhoidectomy is actually one of the fastest hemorrhoid surgical procedures. Once you are under anesthesia, it should take less than an hour. Most patients return home the same day.

What is it like to recover from a stapled hemorrhoidectomy?

After your stapled hemorrhoidectomy, you may be surprised to experience less pain than you did before the procedure. This is because as the hemorrhoids have been lifted back into your rectum, the strain on them has decreased. You can expect to feel a sensation of pressure and fullness in your rectum for about a week. The staples used in the procedure will naturally pass out when you defecate; most people barely notice them. You may want to take pain relievers for a couple of days post-surgery, but after this, they're not generally necessary.

Now you have a better idea of what to expect from your stapled hemorrhoidectomy procedure. It's one of the least painful and least invasive hemorrhoid surgeries that exist, so you should feel lucky this is the right approach for you.