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One hundred patients, 17 male and 83 female, ranging in age from a few days to 97 years , have been treated between 1955 and 1969 for complete prolapse of the rectum.2. One hundred and twelve operations were performed, 91 by the abdominal route, mostly Roscoe Graham repairs or Ivalon sponge implants, with only 2 immediate deaths.3. The late results were assessed usually by interview and physical examination 6 months to 14 years (mean 5 years 5 months) postoperatively. Seventyfive of the patients who had had abdominal operations were available for such assessment; 5, or 6.6 per cent, were found to have recurrent complete prolapses (and I I mucosal recurrences of doubtful significance). Anal incontinence, so frequently associated with rectal prolapse, was improved in some of the patients after abdominal repair, but in roughly half the patients there was no improvement and in I case anal control apparently deteriorated after operation.FROM March, 1955, to December, 1969, IOO patients with complete prolapse of the rectum were seen and treated by the senior author (J. C. G.) at the General Infirmary, Leeds. We have recently conducted a survey of these patients, the main aim of which was to assess the value of modern surgical treatment for this condition. AGE AND SEX INCIDENCEOf the IOO patients 17 were male and 83 female, a ratio of approximately I : 5. The age incidence at the time of operation is shown in Fig. I. The youngest patient was a baby a few days old, the oldest a woman 34 of 97 years. It is remarkable that the proportion of male patients was roughly equal throughout the different decades whilst only some 20 per cent of the female patients presented before the age of 50, the maximum incidence of 22 patients or 25 per cent being reached in the seventh decade. No. of Patients PREDISPOSING FACTORSThough in general the cause of complete rectal prolapse is not understood, in some cases associated circumstances are present which may be aetiologically important. Thus no less than 4 of the IOO patients