Abstract
Very few cases of defecation dysfunction after anterior resection for rectal cancer have been seen. During the past 10 years our hospital has treated only seven patients （7/277=2.5％）suffering for several months from frequent bowel movement and dermititis around the anus. These difficulties restricted patients' daily routines and social lives. Patients were treated using irrigation therapy. Warm water（800 to 1000ml）was injected slowly into the anus. Within one hour bowel movement usually occurred. Irrigation therapy reduced the frequency of
bowel movement from 12.5 times to 3.6 times per day.
Dermititis and pain disappeared. Irrigation clearly is useful for improving the quality of life of these patients.
