In 126 consecutive patients operated on for carcinoma of the lower two-thirds of the rectum, a consistent policy of sphincter preservation resulted in 100 (79 per cent) having anterior resection and 22 (17 per cent) abdominoperineal resection. Perioperative complications in the anterior resection group were: death (two patients), clinical leakage (three patients), pulmonary embolism (five patients), pelvic haematoma (one patient), small bowel obstruction (one patient) and wound sepsis (six patients). Of 55 patients who had a potentially curative anterior resection with follow-up of at least 2 years, one developed local recurrence. Five per cent of patients had significant continence problems. Low anterior resection for carcinoma is associated with low perioperative morbidity, satisfactory functional results and acceptable local recurrence rates.