The rate of sphincter-preserving surgery for mid-low rectal cancer is increasing, but anastomotic leakage remains to be one of the common serious complications after operation. How to reduce the morbility and mortality of anastomotic leakage is always a hot and difficult point in colorectal surgery. Protective ostomy is a common method to deal with the above problems in clinical practice. However, some problems such as inappropriate stoma and stoma-related complications etc. become the current clinical challenges. The purpose of this consensus focusing on indication of ostomy, clinical value, ostomy skills, prevention of stoma complications, reversion of stoma and stoma nursing aims to provide guidance for the clinical practice of protective ostomy in the operation of mid-low rectal cancer in China.