3 common procedures: colonoscopy, transrectal ultrasound, & stapled hemorrhoidectomy

December 21, 2024

As we have written about before, when you are dealing with a problem related to the colon, rectum, or anus, it’s very important that you see a doctor who specializes in these areas. 

At Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute, we have three board-certified colon and rectal surgeons, including Dr. Jon Rosser, Dr. Mark Parker, and Dr. Heath Beckham. Because of our unique specialization, we also have a unique nickname, “The Butt Hutt.” 

With this specialization in mind, we have three procedures we will focus on in this blog post. They include the colonoscopy, transrectal ultrasounds, and the stapled hemorrhoidectomy. After these procedures, many of our patients comment on the ease, both physically and mentally, of their experience with us. 

Colonoscopy

We perform over 3,000 procedures a year in our office clinic; about 70% of these are colonoscopies. Colonoscopies are so important because they can literally save lives! 

Colon cancers begin as benign polyps that we can remove during a colonoscopy. All adults, including males and females, should have a colonoscopy at age 50, or sometimes sooner if there are additional risk factors, such as family history of colorectal cancer. 

Some people put off having a colonoscopy because they are fearful of what we may find (and also because of the “prep” work, which is actually not that bad). But if there is a problem, we need to find it! We really look at colonoscopies not just as a diagnostic procedure, but also as a preventative one. We remove polyps at the time of your colonoscopy, and most of the time, you have no after-effects. By dealing with polyps before they turn into cancer, we can prevent future problems. 

If we do find colon cancer at the time of your colonoscopy, we will likely obtain a biopsy and come up with a treatment plan. Colon cancer is very treatable and often curable when caught early. If we find it at a more advanced stage, it is still treatable, but much less often curable.

Transrectal ultrasound

We use transrectal ultrasounds, also called TRUS, to create images of the rectum, its wall, and the surrounding tissues. We perform the procedure on both men and women. The process involves producing images through sound waves that travel through body tissue to create an accurate picture of the human tissue we are concerned about. 

We use the information we find to help identify and even begin treatment for several medical issues. The images we collect can help us identify both minor and life-threatening medical conditions. The main uses for transrectal ultrasound include staging for rectal cancer and the evaluation of anal sphincter muscle complex in cases of incontinence.

The procedure is outpatient and may take as little as 15 minutes. Sometimes it can take a little longer, possibly around 30 minutes. We will analyze your ultrasound images and discuss any abnormalities we find. We may need to schedule further testing or treatment.

Stapled hemorrhoidectomy

Hemorrhoids can result in bleeding, prolapse, leakage, pain, itchiness, and discomfort. The condition is quite common, impacting approximately one in 20 people. But they are easily treatable, and most people can take preventative steps to ensure they do not recur.

The ideal candidate for a stapled hemorrhoidectomy will have significant internal hemorrhoids that bleed or prolapse with defecation with minimal external hemorrhoidal disease. With this procedure, we hope to eliminate and treat hemorrhoids. 

Our goal is to remove internal hemorrhoids and improve enlarged external hemorrhoidal tissues. We reposition the remaining tissue back to its normal anatomic position, and after the recovery process, you can return to a normal and much more comfortable life.

This tends to be a quick procedure, sometimes completed in under thirty minutes. Compared to other procedures, there is generally less reported pain. You can expect a stapled hemorrhoidectomy to be a safe and relatively low impact surgery that does not require a lot of aftercare or follow-up.

Why have these procedures at Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute?

Our location is in a convenient, centralized part of downtown Birmingham near Regions Field. We offer the convenience of a doctor’s office that’s only a few steps away from your parked car. You will benefit from the safety and quality of an American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. (AAAASF) certified surgery facility.

With all of these procedures, we are dealing with a private area of your body. This does sometimes make people nervous or fearful. We know this can be uncomfortable, but we do all we can to protect your modesty. We want to assure you that it is no big deal to us! We have done these procedures so many times, it does not phase us at all, and we hope it won’t phase you. Remember that we focus on what’s on the inside, not what’s on the outside. 

If you think it’s time to have any of these procedures, let us know!

Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute specializes in treating diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus. We are the experts in performing colonoscopies, transrectal ultrasounds, and stapled hemorrhoidectomies. Our three doctors are known regionally for their expertise in these areas. Visit our website for more information, give us a call to make an appointment at (205) 458-5000, or email us at [email protected].