Diseases of the intestinal tract including its terminal part, defined as ano-rectum, are very common in the general population. Symptoms and signs of those conditions may at time be very subtle and variable while the vast majority of conditions are easily diagnosed and treatable by expert physicians. Medicine and Surgery of intestinal tract have remarkably evolved over the last decade and it truly became a highly specialized field practice. In the most advanced practice settings, physicians taking care of gastro-intestinal conditions work closely with surgeons specialized in performing surgeries in the same field.
In many circumstances the best care to the patient can only be assured by a combined and multidisciplinary approach provided by gastroenterologist and surgeon. This is what we offer at Harley Street Colorectal Clinic: team work, expertise and quality of care that we have learnt and practiced throughout our entire career spent in some of the most renowned European institutions.
Piles or hemorrhoids are vascular cushion in the anal canal, which are contributing with the anal muscles, called anal sphincters, to maintain continence to stool and gas. At times and for different reasons haemorrhoids can become swollen.
When veins in the lining of the anus and rectum become enlarged, they are filled with excess blood, and cause the underlying tissues to also swell, forming abnormal lumps. It occurs at any age but most commonly in individuals over 50 years of age.
Piles are caused due to excessive abdominal pressure from standing or sitting for long periods, being obese, pregnancy and straining during constipation. Diet plays an important role in causing and preventing piles. People who consume more processed food, and less fibre and fluids may develop piles as a result of producing hard stools and straining during bowel movements. An anal fissure is a tear in the skin around the opening of the anus the last part of the digestive tract that controls the removal of stools.
