Bile acid malabsorption and bile acid diarrhea in intestinal resection.

Bile acid fecal excretion and dihydroxy bile acid concentration in the fecal water of patients with large (N = 6) and small (N = 8) ileal resection, colectomy (N = 5), and healthy controls (N = 10) have been studied in order to evaluate the degree of bile acid malabsorption and the occurrence of bile acid diarrhea in intestinal resections of different extent. Bile acid malabsorption was severe in large ileal resections, mild in small ones, and slight in colectomy. The fecal pH seems to be a limiting factor in the occurrence of a bile acid diarrhea, playing a critical role in determining the dihydroxy bile acid solubility in the fecal water. These results seem to suggest that the bile acids may induce water secretion in the colon not only in small but also in large ileal resections.