Hemorrhoidal banding. A warning.

Band ligation of symptomatic internal hemorrhoids is a well-established and accepted outpatient procedure. The purpose of this paper is to alert the medical profession to potential complications and death following this procedure. Each of the four patients described in this report experienced pain and inability to urinate following banding. This report does not condemn banding but, rather, focuses on problems associated with a procedure perceived by many to be risk free.