Experience with 26 reservoir ileostomies.

A personal experience of 26 reservoir ileostomies is reviewed. There were no operative deaths, but 3 patients developed non-fatal faecal fistula and 6 patients eventually had their reservoir removed for a variety of reasons. No patient given a reservoir without an intussusception valve was fully continent, but of 15 patients with a reservoir incorporating such a valve who were followed up, 9 enjoyed complete continence, though 2 experienced periodic difficulty with stomal intubation. The indications for this operation are discussed.