The relationship of hemorrhoids to portal hypertension.

Records of 188 patients with documented portal hypertension were reviewed to determine the incidence of hemorrhoids as well as bleeding complications associated with this condition. The incidence of hemorrhoids among these patients was not increased compared to the normal population. Six of the patients with portal hypertension did, however, bleed massively from hemorrhoids. Elevated portal venous pressure is an important factor in those patients having severe hemorrhoidal bleeding. The presence of coagulation defects may also be of considerable importance.