Background: Total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) is an alternative to the ileoanal pouch for the surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis in a selected group of patients. This technique leaves rectal mucosa Hable to develop persistent proctitis, dysplasia and cancer Aim: To describe short and long-term results of IRA and to assess the presence of dysplasia. Material and methods: Descriptive study of patients treated with IRA. The data were obtained from the clinical records, and the present status was evaluated with an interview. A proctoscopy and biopsy was offered free of cost to the contacted patients. Results: Between 1978 and 2005, 26 patients were operated. One patient presented an anastomotic leakage that was treated with a loop ileostomy There was no operative mortality. Twenty-three patients were followed for a períod of 1 to 23 years. Three patients evolved as Crohn 's disease and two of them needed a proctectomy. Three patients died of non-related diseases. In the remaining 17, the average evacuation rate was 3.7/24 h and all were continent. None developed a rectal cancer Only two patients had their planned annual endoscopic surveillance. In 2 of the 11 patients who accepted endoscopy and biopsy, a low-grade dysplasia was found. Conclusions: IRA has low morbidity and acceptable functional results in this selected group of patients. No patient present high-grade dysplasia or cancer; however, the adherence to the endoscopic follow-up ispoor.