Is ileoproctostomy a reasonable procedure after total abdominal colectomy?

A 17-year study has been made of 63 patients who had a variety of colonic disorders treated by total abdominal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis in four hospitals affiliated with Vanderbilt University. Forty-three of these patients made an uneventful recovery, but 20 others sustained significant complications, nine of which proved to be fatal (hospital mortality rate, 14%). The study shows (and confirms the work of others) that ileorectal anastomosis after total abdominal colectomy is a reasonable procedure that provides satisfactory results on a long-term basis in a majority of patients when strict criteria in patient selection are followed in its application.