Typically considered an old-fashioned hemorrhoid treatment, sclerotherapy is rarely practiced today because it has a high potential for complications compared to newer treatment options.
Sclerotherapy involves injecting a chemical through an anoscope into the hemorrhoid tissue, causing it to scar and shrink, resulting in the elimination of the patients’ symptoms. The inflammation created often requires the administration of pain medication after the procedure, and complications may occur if too much material is injected, if it is injected into one of the hemorrhoidal veins, or if it is injected too deeply. These potential complications include abdominal pain, infections, prolonged pain or burning and even rare cases of impotence.
