Hemorrhoid surgery is the removal of swollen veins around the anus (hemorrhoids). Hemorrhoids can be inside or outside of the skin around the rectum.

Hemorrhoids can be surgically removed using a special stapler or sutures (stiches). You may be sedated and pain-free (local or spinal anesthesia) or asleep and pain-free (general anesthesia). After the hemorrhoid is removed, you may have stitches that dissolve on their own and gauze packing to reduce bleeding.

Smaller hemorrhoids may not need surgery. These procedures are often done in an outpatient clinic or your doctor’s office, with minimal or no anesthesia.

To treat your hemorrhoids, your doctor may:

• Give you a chemical shot to reduce swelling
• Place a rubber band around the hemorrhoid to cut off the blood supply to it
• Shrink the hemorrhoid with infrared light or a laser, or freeze it with liquid nitrogen

Your doctor may recommend hemorrhoid removal when nonsurgical treatment (such as a high-fiber diet, laxatives, stool softener, suppositories, medications, and warm baths) do not make your symptoms go away.

Typical symptoms are:

• Persistent itching
• Anal bleeding
• Pain
• Blood clots (thrombosis of the hemorrhoids)
• Infection