The improved quality of life with the Kock continent ileostomy.

The conventional Brooke ileostomy is performed far more frequently than the Kock continent ileostomy. To determine the relative satisfaction with these operations, patients whose Brooke ileostomy had been converted to a Kock pouch were questioned about changes in their life-styles. Data were obtained from 80 patients who had worn an external appliance from 4 months to 33 years before the change-over to a Kock pouch. Improvement was reported in social activities (96.2%), athletic endeavors (87.5%), and sexual relations (76.2%). Patients spent less time caring for the stoma (92.5%) and wore street and beach attire with greater ease (97.5%). An average reduction of 75% was noted in ileostomy maintenance costs. The overall patient satisfaction with the Kock pouch was 98.7% despite an appreciable incidence of pouchitis and revisional operations. In our experience, the readier acceptance by patients of a continent internal reservoir over an external fecal-filled appliance has led to the performance of proctocolectomies for ulcerative colitis at an earlier stage of the disease.