Introduction: Proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is thought to be the best option for patients with intractable ulcerative colitis (UC). Aims and methods: In this retrospective study we aimed at assessing the functional status and quality of life in the group of 20 patients with IPAA. We looked at the course of the disease prior to and after IPAA and assess the functionality of the pouch and quality of life (QOL) in all patients using standardized questionaires. Results: The reason for surgery was corticodependency or corticorezistency in all cases. Fourty percent of our patients experienced at least one course of pouchitis. The mean number of soft stools was 6 during the day and 2 at the night, with rare incontinency but frequent difficulty to differentiate between the stool and gas when urgency occurs. Most patients had to modify their activities according to the intensity of bowel problems, more than one third use regularly the antidiarrheals. Evaluation of the quality of life assessed by the Cleveland Global Quality of Life (CGQL) questionaire revealed in our patients the mean score of 0.73. It is obviously higher than CGQL score described in UC patients with intractable UC pre-operatively. Conclusions: Proctocolectomy with IPAA improves the quality of life, but does not cure UC without functional consequences. Most patients had to modify their life in accordance with the intensity of their bowel problems. These results should be considered when deciding on therapeutic modality in UC patient.

        Key words: ulcerative colitis, ileo pouch-anal anastomosis, quality of life