A five year retrospective review of anorectal abscesses included 181 admissions in which all but five were explained by the anal glandular hypothesis of causation. Delays in treatment occurred because of misdiagnosis, attempts at nonoperative management and inhospital procrastination. These abscesses are notorious for the recurrence rate after treatment. One-third of the patients in our series had a history of previous abscess and a postoperative recurrence rate of at least 6 per cent. Associated medical problems, such as diabetes mellitus, inflammatory intestinal disease or carcinoma, should be suspected in these patients. The fact that the majority of the patients in our series were afebrile and had minimal leukocytosis is a possible indication that our index of suspicion should be high in any patient with anorectal pain and that we must rely primarily on local findings. Treatment should be prompt incision and drainage under spinal or general anesthesia. Wide unroofing procedures and overzealous attempts at primary fistulotomy are discouraged as is the use of local anesthesia. Associated procedures, such as hemorrhoidectomy, can be safely performed and may prevent certain postoperative complications.