Reconstructing the enteric tract after near-total proctocolectomy by interp
osing a jejunal pouch between the distal ileum and the distal rectum slows
small intestinal transit and decreases the number of stools per day compare
d to a conventional ileal pouch-distal rectal reconstruction. Our hypothesi
s was that the jejunal pouch operation brings about these results by protec
ting the ability of the ileal mucosa to secrete peptide YY: thus augmenting
the hormonal ileal brake on small intestinal transit and decreasing the st
ool frequency. In five jejunal pouch dogs and five ileal pouch dogs, more t
han G months after the operation, serum peptide YY concentrations were dete
rmined before and at 30-minute intervals for 180 minutes after a standard m
eal. Fasting serum concentrations of peptide T;ES measured by radioimmunoas
say; were greater in jejunal pouch dogs (mean +/- SEM, 1340 +/- 143 pg/ml)
than in ileal pouch dogs (804 +/- 52 pg/ml; P < 0.01). Postprandial peptide
YY concentrations in jejunal pouch dogs were also greater at 30 minutes (j
ejunal pouch = 1524 <plus/minus> 131 pg/ml, ileal pouch = 913 +/- 67 pg/ml;
P = 0.01) and 60 minutes after the meal(jejunal pouch = 1723 +/- 250 pg/ml
, ileal pouch = 1001 +/- 70 pg/ml; P = 0.05) and peaked sooner (jejunal pou
ch = 81 +/- 17 minutes, ileal pouch = 147 +/- 12 minutes; P = 0.01). We con
cluded that the jejunal pouch operation results in greater ileal fasting an
d postprandial secretion of pel,tide YY than the ileal pouch operation. The
greater release may account, in part, fur tile slower small bowel transit
and decreased number of stools after the jejunal pouch operation.