Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal reservoir: a pathophysiological assessment.

A metabolic and physiological assessment was carried out in 14 patients who had undergone restorative proctocolectomy with ileal reservoir more than six months previously. The haemoglobin was normal in all but one and plasma electrolytes and serum albumin, calcium, phosphorus, and red cell folate estimations were normal in all. Five patients had low serum iron levels of whom one had an iron deficiency anaemia. The 24 hour faecal fat output was normal in all patients and there was no case of vitamin B12 malabsorption as judged by the Schilling test, although four patients had marginally low values. These were not associated with increased bacterial counts in the faeces within the reservoir and there was no evidence to support a diagnosis of stagnant loop syndrome. Inflammation of the reservoir mucosa was, however, associated with higher counts of aerobic bacteria than in cases where inflammation was absent. Subtotal villous atrophy or inflammation was seen in biopsies of the reservoir in six patients. The mean faecal output per 24 hours was 659 +/- 259 g and the mean reservoir volume was 330 +/- 78 ml. Mean resting anal canal pressure was significantly lower in patients with a mucous leakage per anum than in those without, while manometry of the reservoir showed no alteration of pressure over a period of one hour before and after a meal. A positive rectosphincteric reflex was observed in nine patients.