Since antiquity physicians have sought less painful ways to treat hemorrhoids. In 1998 Dr. Antonio Longo, an Italian surgeon, described a new operation called PPH, which uses a circular surgical stapler to remove a ring of anorectal tissue above the hemorrhoids, which lifts and flattens the hemorrhoids up in the anal canal. Dr. Grasso has been personally trained by Dr. Antonio Longo to perform the procedure in 2001 and has performed hundreds of PPHs with excellent long term results. Patients experience less pain and a faster return to normal activities as compared to conventional hemorrhoidectomy. Instead of the sharp pain of conventional hemorrhoidectomy patients may feel a dull but tolerable ache for a few days. In a recent study 20% of the patients returned to work one day after the operation and 99% of the patients made a full recovery within seven days. 93% of patients required no further therapy for their hemorrhoids.

Francesco Grasso, M.D.