Relief at last in 5-minute surgery for piles
A NEW, five-minute procedure for treating haemorrhoids – which allows patients to avoid the pain of major surgery and resume their normal daily activities immediately – is now available in the UK.
The Rafaelo procedure was developed in Poland, where it has been used to treat more than 2,000 patients. It is now being carried out privately at Spire St Anthony’s Hospital in Cheam, Surrey, by consultant colorectal surgeon Nick West. It is based on the same technology as that used to treat varicose veins.
Haemorrhoids, or piles, are caused by the deterioration of blood vessel-rich spongy cushions inside the rectum. Downward pressure – simply the effect of gravity and being on two feet, but sometimes greatly increased by factors such as pregnancy – can cause them to swell, itch and bleed.
The only other species to suffer the condition are gorillas, who also spend much of their time sitting or standing upright.
Haemorrhoids are graded from one, the smallest, to four, which are much larger and may be external.
They affect up to 75 per cent of adults at some point in their lives and cost a staggering £2million in incapacity benefits each year.
Surgery for serious cases is performed under general anaesthetic and can result in the patient taking four weeks off work.
The Rafaelo technique is suitable for most cases up to grade 3, and does not require a general anaesthetic.
Mr West says: ‘The base of the haemorrhoid is injected with local anaesthetic. A special metal probe, the width of a knitting needle, is inserted into the haemorrhoid. Radiofrequency energy is then sent down the probe. You can see the haemorrhoid shrinking.’
Elena Kim, 36, from Surrey, was the first patient to undergo the £1,943 procedure, in February. She had had problems since the birth of her second child in January 2015. She said: ‘I was expecting pain but there wasn’t any. When the sedation wore off, I was so comfortable that I even asked if the procedure had been done. Now I can concentrate on my family and living life to the full again.’
Mr West hopes Rafaelo will become available on the NHS in the future.