Trans-radial Superior Rectal Artery Embolisation for Haemorrhoids

Endovascular embolisation is already a common procedure for bleeding haemorrhoids in the acute setting, where surgical options are not possible or have been exhausted. This pilot study aims to add to the small body of evidence that transarterial embolisation of symptomatic haemorrhoids is also safe and effective in the elective setting, providing a good alternative to conventional surgical management. This is a day case procedure that is performed under local anaesthetic. For selected patients, this presents a less invasive management option with reduced potential morbidity. For a health care system under significant financial stress, this provides a potential means of cost improvement, the extent of which this study will try and quantify. A series of 20 selected patients will be recruited to undergo this procedure and then followed up for 24 months. The long-term goal of this pilot study is to form the basis of a national registry of such procedures.