Postpartum haemorrhoids are a common problem, for which the recently marketed cooling device, Anurex (Roussel Uclaf Australia, Pennant Hills, NSW), was evaluated in 129 women randomly allocated to treatment and control groups. There was no difference in the rate of resolution of pain between the groups. The test group estimated a greater duration of pain relief, but this was not statistically significant. Anal bleeding and itching were not significantly reduced in the test group. There was no difference between discomfort scores related to application of the device in the groups, but a significant number in the test group encountered difficulty in insertion of the device. It is concluded that the introduction of the Anurex device as a standard method of treatment of postpartum haemorrhoids is not justified.