Anal lesions in hematologic diseases

Of 514 patients hospitalized for miscellaneous hematologic diseases, 31 had severe anal lesions (5 per cent); these complications were most commonly observed in agranulocytosis, acute myeloid leukemia, and medullar aplasia. They included infiltration of the perianal area, ulceration, and abscesses. In 20 per cent of the 31 patients, the anal lesion was the first manifestation of the hematologic disease. In all instances, the prognosis of the condition was closely related to the type and severity of the underlying hematologic disease. Surgical therapy, which was applied to the majority of the abscesses, was followed in all instances by rapid symptomatic improvement and was never associated with local or general complications.