Quality of life after total proctocolectomy and ileal J-pouch-anal anastomosis.

We investigated the daily life and opinions of patients after total proctocolectomy and ileal J-pouch-anal anastomosis. Eighty patients answered a questionnaire, completed Cattell's anxiety scale, and recorded bowel function for one month. Both colitis and polyposis patients defecated five times daily, had 1.6 episodes of nocturnal motions weekly, and soiled twice weekly. However, colitis patients were more satisfied with their bowel function and surgical outcome than were polyposis patients. This difference had a close relationship to the personality factors of ego strength and frustration. All patients with either disease who defecated less than three times daily, had no nocturnal motions, and had no soiling showed normal ego strength and frustration and were completely satisfied with their bowel status and operation. In contrast, patients defecating more than seven times daily or more than once per week nocturnally and soiling more than four times weekly had high frustration and were dissatisfied. Thus, satisfaction with surgery correlated not only with the objective outcome but also with personality and lifestyle.