Characteristics of anal fissure with bleeding

Written by Deng Heng

Colorectal Surgery

Updated on March 03, 2025

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An anal fissure is a small ulcer formed by the full-thickness splitting of the skin of the anal canal below the dentate line. A characteristic of bleeding due to an anal fissure is that it generally occurs along with periodic, tearing-like pain. Thus, bleeding and pain are the main clinical manifestations of an anal fissure. During defecation, the damaged surface can lead to bleeding from the fissure, usually with a small amount of blood. The stool may have streaks of blood, or there might be a few drops of fresh blood after defecation, or a slight smearing of fresh blood on toilet paper during wiping.

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