Objective To investigate the clinical value of hand-sewn ileal pouch anal anastomosis (HIPAA) for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.Methods The clinical data of 191 patients with ulcerative colitis who were admitted to the General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from January 1989 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed.All the patients received proctocolectomy and open or laparoscopic HIPAA.Patients were followed up by questionnaire at postoperative month 3 and 12.The function of pouch was evaluated according to the defecation frequency per 24 hours and per night,Bristol scale stool form and Kirwan classification.The quality of life was assessed according to the Cleveland global quality of life (CGQL).Patients were followed up till April 2014.The independent samples were compared by t test,and data from multiple groups were compared by analysis of variance,pairwise comparison was done by LSD-t test,and the count data were analyzed using the chi-square test.Results Of the 191 patients,180 received open surgery and 11 received laparoscopic surgery.Nine patients were treated by one-stage surgery,175 by two-stage surgery and 7 by three-stage surgery.The pouches of 181 patients were J shape,9 were H shape and 1 was W shape.No patient died perioperatively.Eight patients had abdominal infection and 7 had incisional infection at early period after the operation,and they were cured by antibiotics.Four patients had pouch anastomotic bleeding and 4 had anastomotic leakage at postoperative week 1-2,and they were cured by local hemostasis or titanium clipping.Six patients had high intestinal obstruction,and they were alleviated by symptomatic treatment.Eight patients had inflammation of pouch,and they were alleviated by diet adjustment or antibiotics treatment.Two patients had sexual dysfunction.All the patients were followed up for 1-25 years.The function of the pouch was improved gradually.At postoperative month 12,the defecation frequencies were (3.7 ± 1.4)/24 hours and (1.3 ±0.5)/night,and the number of patients with type Ⅳ (Bristol classification),type Ⅴ,type Ⅵ and in grade Ⅰ (Kirwan classification),grade Ⅱ,grade Ⅲ were 107,76,8 and 177,8,6,respectively,which were significantly improved when compared with (6.5 ±2.8)/24 hours,(2.9 ± 1.5)/night,86,89,16 and 160,19,12 at postoperative month 3 (t =12.36,3.98,x2=7.76,29.27,P＜ 0.05).The CGQL indexes before operation and at postoperative month 3 and 12 were 0.37 ±0.19,0.67 ±0.16 and 0.82 ±0.13,respectively,with significant differences (F =6.011,P ＜0.05).There were significant differences between the CGQL indexes before operation and at postoperative 12 and 3 months (t =16.69,10.06,P ＜ 0.05).A significant difference was also observed between the CGQL indexes before operation and at postoperative 12 months (t =27.01,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions HIPAA is suitable for the surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis.The function of the pouch is good and the quality of life is improved.