Abstract One hundred and twenty consecutive patients were entered into a randomized trial of single versus multiple phenol injection for the treatment of haemorrhoids. Follow-up at 3 and 12 months was available in 105 patients (56 in the single group and 49 in the multiple group). The results have shown that injection therapy, whether this be single or multiple, is an extremely effective form of therapy for patients with first or second degree haemorrhoids.