Failure of right-sided coloanal anastomosis for treatment of left-sided ulcerative colitis. Report of a case.

A patient with ulcerative colitis limited to the rectum and distal colon underwent a left hemicolectomy, a mucosal proctectomy, and a coloanal sleeve anastomosis using the normal proximal colon. She experienced macroscopic recurrence of her disease within 2 months of the operation and eventually required excision of the remaining colon and an end ileostomy. Our experience and that of others would indicate that a right-sided coloanal operation is unsuitable for the treatment of left-sided ulcerative colitis.