Total body water and total body potassium in patients with continent ileostomies.

Total body water and total body potassium were studied in 14 patients submitted to proctocolectomy six to 10 years after they had been provided with a continent ileostomy. Total body water was determined with an isotope dilution technique using tritiated water as a tracer. Total body potassium was determined by counting the gamma radiation from the naturally present nuclid 40K in a total body counter. The results were compared with 'normal values' produced by multiple regression analysis of data from 476 healthy controls which had been published earlier from the same laboratory. The investigations showed no signs of water or potassium depletion in patients with continent ileostomies.