[Role of the prevalvular terminal ileum in fecal losses in ileostomized patients].

Fecal losses of water, electrolytes, fat and nitrogen were studied retrospectively in 42 cases (40 patients). To assess the role of the terminal ileum, patients were classified into 2 groups according to the length of resected and/or excluded ileum before the ileocecal junction; group I (n = 17; length less than or equal to 15 cm) and group II (n = 25; length ranging from 15 to 50 cm). In group I, fecal weight and fecal output of sodium, fat and nitrogen were (mean for 24 h) 544 g, 63 mmol, 6.5 g (6.4 p. 100 of ingesta), 2.94 respectively. In group II, fecal outputs were higher; (mean for 24 h) 862 g, 112 mmol, 10.9 g (14.2 p. 100 of ingesta), 4.2 respectively. These differences were statistically significant for fecal weight and fecal output of sodium (p less than 0.001) and for fecal output of fat when expressed as percentage of ingesta (p less than 0.02). These results show that the length of terminal ileum is a major determinant in fecal losses after ileostomy; therefore, it appears to be of major importance to preserve this segment of ileum as much as possible during ileocolic surgery.