AbstractA retrospective study compared the outcome of restorative proctocolectomy in patients who had a covering ileostomy (n= 53) with those who had no proximal stoma (n= 32). Those who had a loop ileostomy had a higher incidence of anastomotic leakage (21 per cent), pelvic abscess (32 per cent) and postoperative fistula (28 per cent) than those with no covering ileostomy (6, 12 and 12 per cent respectively). Intestinal obstruction occurred in 23 per cent of those with an ileostomy, compared with 6 per cent in those who had no stoma. The functional outcome was identical.