I have hunted online for months on medical doctor websites and the statistics for reversals don't look that good. They state the big concerns are: if you have another condition that might add more risk to surgery (heart disease, diabetes, pulmonary problems), if you are obese, if you are over 55. If you can be considered for the reversal, success is not guaranteed. You may develop problematic scar tissue, there is the risk the surgeon may nick something nearby, you may have colon or anal leakage, or wake up with an ileostomy that may be more difficult to manage than your previous colostomy. Of the total patients in one study I read, 44% of the actual reversals successfully done after 6 1/2 years of follow-up were dead; they did not say why. Of the living, they all reported a better quality of life after reversal compared to the patients that refused to try the reversal, who reported a lesser quality of life with colostomy.
My surgeon is discouraging a reversal attempt and feels like if we can manage our colostomy, the chances of having anal leakage and needing diapers is very high, and they are more visibly noticeable and smell more than bags.
I know this post is not encouraging, but this is what I have found so far. Please ask your doctors to tell you the downside of surgery to make an informed decision.
Also, if you do have a reversal, studies show the doctors prefer the scope because they can do it quicker and you can leave the hospital sooner. However, they do often report more oops during surgery because they cannot see the surrounding area that is visible in an open surgery. For example, if you need more staples for leakage in an area, nicks are easier to miss. And in my case, in an open surgery, they can check surrounding areas for other problems, like the tumor on my ovary that would have gone undetected.
Hope this helps a little, and I am still searching for second doctor opinions for honest answers. I will keep you posted.