Drug absorption and hepatic drug metabolism in patients with different types of intestinal shunt operation for obesity. A study with phenazone.

Seventeen patients with intestinal shunt for obesity and 11 control patients were given 15 mg phenazone per kg perorally to estimate the rate of absorption and hepatic metabolism of phenazone. The rate of absorption and the plasma clearance of phenazone as well as the 4-hydroxyphenazone excretion in the urine did not differ in the patients with intestinal shunt after the weight had stabilized. Thus, drug absorption and hepatic drug metabolizing capacity appear to be unaffected 12--57 months after intestinal shunting.