Hemorrhoidal Banding

What causes hemorrhoids?

The most common causes of hemorrhoids include constipation, pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, heavy lifting, sitting for extended periods, and diarrhea.

How can you treat hemorrhoids?

Creams, suppositories, and warm baths don’t usually work and when they offer relief, it is only temporary. For many people, hemorrhoids never go away and they can actually get worse over time.

Several of the Rapid City GI physicians have been trained in the CRH O’Regan Hemorrhoidal Removal System. This highly effective (99.1%), minimally invasive procedure is performed in the office setting in less than a minute. In cases of multiple hemorrhoids, additional visits are required.

During the procedure, a gentle suction device is used to place a small rubber band around the base of the hemorrhoid. The rubber band cuts off the blood supply to the hemorrhoid causing it to shrink and fall off usually within a day or so. You probably won’t notice when this happens or be able to see the rubber band in the toilet. Once the hemorrhoid is gone, the wound will heal in about a week or two.

Within the first 24 hours after the procedure, you may feel a dull ache in the rectum or experience a feeling of fullness. A remarkable 99.8% of patients treated with the CRH O’Regan banding have no post-procedure pain. If you do experience some discomfort, an over-the-counter pain reliever may be used.

Benefits of CRH O’Regan Hemorrhoidal banding

The Rapid City Medical Center gastroenterologists are proponents of this method because of the high success rate, reduced rate of complications, and the reduced rate of Hemorrhoidal recurrence among patients.

• The smaller instrument allows for greater comfort for patients and improved visibility for physicians
• No metal clamps which have a higher risk of pain and bleeding
• No preparation, fasting, or sedation required
• Non-surgical procedure done in the office setting
• The process is fast and effective
• Instruments are single-use and 100% disposable which lessens the risk of contamination and infection

Will my insurance cover hemorrhoid banding?

On average, CRH banding patients will require three separate doctor’s visits to treat the hemorrhoids. The doctor’s visits will be scheduled 2 weeks apart to allow for sufficient healing before the next banding.

Most insurance plans, including Medicare, cover the CRH banding procedure. It is important to check with your insurance carrier to verify your policy benefits.

For additional information please visit the Hemorrhoid FAQ page.