Laser proctology is the surgical treatment of diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus using a laser. Common conditions treated with laser proctology include haemorrhoids, fissures, fistula, pilonidal sinus, and polyps. The technique is increasingly being used to treat piles in both women and men.

Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Radiation) is a light beam of high energy. This light beam is used to burn or cut the abnormality, which was the reason for the surgery. Present, laser techniques are very advanced and much safer; they leave no scars, are bloodless and less painful. They also cause lesser complications.

Laser Surgery Vs Conventional Surgery

Laser surgery is an outpatient or day-care procedure, which offers many advantages over conventional surgery. For e.g. the laser technique not only treats haemorrhoids more effectively, but it also reduces postoperative pain. It also improves symptoms after surgeries,

Greater surgical precision
Faster surgeries
Back to routine in 1-2 days
No Cuts and no ugly scars
Fast recoveries
Minimal or almost no postoperative pain
Lowest risk of infection
No rectal stenosis
Laser surgery patients look better.
Anal sphincter action is well preserved (no chances of incontinence).
Least rates of recurrence
Fewer visits to the doctor after surgery
Higher success rates

Anorectal Diseases That Require Laser Surgery

Haemorrhoids or Piles are enlarged veins located at the junction of the anus and rectum. The veins get enlarged due to excessive blood flow in arteries, which in turn causes the haemorrhoidal plexuses to dilate and get congested.

Anorectal Fissures

The lining of the anus can tear or crack when passing large or hard stools. The tear is called anal fissure and leads to pain and bleeding while passing stool.

Anal Fistula

Anal fistulas are small, infected connections that form between the skin near the anus and end of the bowel. An anal fistula is mostly the result of contagion in an anal gland, which spreads to the skin.

Pilonidal Cyst

Pilonidal cysts are formed at the end of the tailbone and just above the sacrum when hair penetrates the skin. The cysts also contain skin debris. The body responds to the hair as a foreign substance and creates a sac around the hair. If the cyst and the overlying skin become infected, it can lead to a painful abscess.

Symptoms of Anorectal Diseases

Many anorectal medical conditions go undiagnosed and remain untreated in adults because people feel shy or embarrassed to bring it to the notice of a doctor. This is especially true of women. The symptoms of anorectal conditions are noticeable, and should immediately be brought to the attention of a medical practitioner. Early diagnosis leads to lessening discomfort and faster treatment. Some of the symptoms are:

Ø Rectal pain and bleeding

Ø Pain, strain or bleeding while passing stool

Ø Inability to sit for long periods

Ø Spotting blood

Laser Surgeries for Piles

There are three types of laser surgeries for haemorrhoids:

Hemorrhoidal Laser Procedure (HeLp)

HeLP is a minimally-invasive laser procedure for piles, which does not require anaesthesia. A Doppler is used to identify the affected branches of the rectal artery. Once they have been identified, a laser diode fibre photocoagulation the branches.

Laser Hemorrhoidoplasty (LHP)

LHP is similar to HeLP, but in this surgery, blood is stopped from flowing to the hemorrhoidal plexus by photocoagulation the affected branches of the rectal artery.

Laser Haemorrhoidectomy

Also called laser cauterization, this is a procedure in which the surgeon shrinks the swollen piles by burning them with the laser. Sometimes, the surgeon used a narrow laser beam and focus only on the haemorrhoids to avoid damage to nearby tissues. The narrow beam is passed through the anus and focussed on the mass of the piles. The controlled exposure of the submucosa zone to the energy of the laser causes a mass to shrink.

The fibrosis is reconstructed to create connecting tissue. This enables the mucosa to adhere to the underlying tissue. This prevents prolapse. This is a safe surgery and cause minimal bleeding and heals faster.

FILAC Technique (Fistula–Tract Laser Closure) for Fistula:-

This is a minimally-invasive technique to treat anorectal fistula, which preserves the sphincter. The affected tissue, called epithelialized, is neutralized by focusing the laser in a controlled, circular movement.

Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy (LIS):-

Doctors may prescribe LIS when chronic anal fissure does not respond to medication and conventional treatments. The laser is used to remove a small portion of the sphincter muscle. This helps alleviate pressure, reduce pain and allows the fissure to heal.

e expected results. The medical team will give you specific instructions on what to do and what not to do before the surgery. They will also conduct some preoperative examinations.

During Surgery: The surgery will be carried out by a team of anaesthetists, the surgeon and support staff. The procedure will be carried out under anaesthesia. Depending on the condition, the operation lasts from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the case.

After Surgery: Laser proctology surgeries are usually conducted as out-patient procedures, but some patients may be monitored overnight. The time of recovery varies from patient to patient, but you can expect to resume normal activities in one or two days

Laser pilonidal sinus surgery

The destruction of a pilonidal cyst with a laser probe is a safe, simple and minimally invasive technique. The success rate is good. Hospital stay is short, pain is light and complications are few as well as the number of patients needing post-operative care, allowing a rapid return to work.

Laser Proctology