Anastomotic breakdown, the most serious complication of restorative rectal resection, is responsible for half the postoperative morbidity rate and one‐third of deaths1. While many surgeons defunction low anastomoses2, others consider this unnecessary3. A tube caecostomy can be used after on‐table orthograde bowel lavage to avoid a stoma4. An obstructing unopened loop ‘colostomy’ offers potential advantages5. It can be returned to the abdomen if the anastomosis heals soundly or opened into a colostomy if it leaks. This method was evaluated in seven patients.