GO FOR THE JUGULAR... TO FIX PILES

The surgeon who pioneered keyhole operations to fix varicose veins in the legs is now turning his attention to tackling piles – via a pinhole incision in the patient’s neck.

During the revolutionary hour-long procedure carried out by Mark Whiteley, a probe is inserted into the jugular vein and threaded through the vascular system and into faulty pelvic veins where the piles – a build-up of blood – occur. The tube delivers a combination of injectable foam and a platinum coil to effectively kill off the faulty vein. Once the blood supply is stopped, the haemorrhoid shrinks.

Professor Whiteley claims his astonishing invention is more effective than other treatments, lowers the risk of recurrence, minimises post-operative pain and speeds up recovery. Experts have cautiously welcomed the innovation, known as Hembolize.

‘Technically this is possible but patients need to be aware that it is also experimental,’ says renowned consultant vascular surgeon John Scurr.

‘In practical terms, it is a long way to go from the neck. The probe has to go through the heart, which is quite serious. You could go through the veins in the groin, although this actually involves more bends.’

An estimated 40% of us suffer piles – swellings that can occur inside and around the bottom. The lining of the area contains a network of small veins, and when these become wider and are filled with more blood than usual, they form swellings.

Suggested causes include constipation, straining, and low-fibre diets. Research by Professor Whiteley suggests problems with veins in the pelvis may be the true cause and that pooling of blood from these veins creates piles. Problems with these veins are also associated with varicose veins. His research shows more than a third of 419 varicose veins patients examined showed evidence of blood flowing from damaged pelvic veins into haemorrhoids.

‘Many of the treatments that are used do not address the suspected underlying cause of haemorrhoids – pelvic veins – and instead treat the arterial flow of blood which may account for their relatively high recurrence rates,’ he says. ‘The haemorrhoid is merely the bulging end of pelvic veins. This new treatment ensures that the problem veins are destroyed permanently.’