Hemorrhoids can be a source of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding that requires transfusion: report of five patients.

Purpose: Hemorrhoids have been rarely reported to be a source of transfusion-dependent, obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. We report the diagnosis and management of a series of patients in whom hemorrhoids were the source of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding that was severe enough to require transfusion.

Methods: Five patients, who presented with severe hematochezia or obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, during a 24-month period had had an extensive workup for gastrointestinal bleeding.