Standard-Examiner correspondent?

SOUTH OGDEN — Treating one of life’s most embarrassing conditions just got easier.?

A new procedure using a disposable device can treat hemorrhoids in less than one minute, causing little, if any, pain, and allowing the patient to return to work in a day or less.?

The O’Regan banding procedure uses a tiny rubber band placed around the tissue of the hemorrhoid, which cuts off blood supply and causes it to shrink and fall off, typically, within one to five days, said Dr. John Lowe, a gastroenterologist at Ogden’s Ridgeline Endoscopy Center who is performing the procedure.?

During the first 24 hours, some patients may experience a feeling of fullness or a dull ache in the rectum, which is typically relieved by over-the-counter medication.?”Multiple studies of the banding technique show that 99.1 percent of patients experience no significant post-procedural pain,” Lowe said.?Hemorrhoids are cushions of tissue containing swollen blood vessels, located in the lower rectum or anus, explained Lowe. The two types of hemorrhoids, internal and external, can be very painful and inflamed and can cause itching, a feeling of fullness following a bowel movement and a general sick feeling.?

In addition, there may be bright-red blood covering the stool, on the toilet tissue or in the toilet bowl.?”Hemorrhoids result from an increase in pressure in the veins of the rectum,” Lowe said. “This may be caused by constipation, pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, heavy lifting, long periods of sitting, or diarrhea.”?Hemorrhoids increase after the age of 30, and by the age of 50, half of the population will experience the condition, which affects both men and women.?During the procedure, generally only one hemorrhoid site is treated. If multiple banding is necessary, additional visits are required. That’s because multiple bandings have been shown to increase complications. Extremely large hemorrhoids also may require additional banding sessions.?Many people try to treat their hemorrhoids with creams, ointments and suppositories, but those products provide only temporary relief of symptoms and do not shrink the hemorrhoid or make it go away, Lowe said.?The only permanent cure for recurrent symptoms is the destruction or removal of the hemorrhoid itself.?Procedures used to treat hemorrhoids include conventional rubber banding, infrared coagulation, stapled hemorrhoidectomy and conventional hemorrhoidectomy. These procedures typically take longer to perform, and recovery time can range from one to 14 days.?Lowe said most insurance companies, including Medicare, pay for the procedure.?Although hemorrhoids are painful, they do not increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer, Lowe said. However, since both conditions cause bleeding, it’s important for your physician to make an accurate diagnosis.?”Research shows that up to 2.3 percent of patients with bleeding hemorrhoids may also have colorectal cancer,” he said.?The procedure is named after Dr. Patrick J. O’Regan, head of minimally invasive surgery at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Saudi Arabia.?

The procedure has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.