Absorption of L-phenylalanine in human ileal reservoirs exposed to urine.

The mucosa of ileal reservoirs exposed to urine undergoes successive structural changes, indicating a loss of absorptive capacity. In patients with urinary diversion via a continent ileal reservoir, the active absorption of L-phenylalanine from the reservoir was studied at different postoperative time intervals. A test solution containing L-phenylalanine was instilled into the reservoir and samples were taken at intervals during a period of one hour for determination of phenylalanine. In one group of patients, urine from the kidneys by-passed the reservoir via a catheter inserted into the afferent segment. Within three months after construction of the ileal reservoir, the uptake was significantly slower than that in ileostomy reservoirs and the absorption decreased even more with longer observation times. Mixing of urine with the reservoir contents did not influence the uptake of L-phenylalanine to any significant degree. The reduced absorption of L-phenylalanine indicates that the uptake of other substances from this type of ileal reservoirs might be decreased also.