Purpose: It has been shown in several studies that a colonic J-pouch obviates much of the early dysfunction after a low anterior resection in terms of urgent and frequent bowel movements. In search for specific mediators of the postoperative functional adaptation, two gut peptides, peptide YY and enteroglucagon, were studied
Methods: Plasma and "neorectal" mucosal levels of both peptides were measured in 12 patients with a straight coloanal anastomosis and in 11 patients with a colonic J-pouch anastomosis. Patients were part of a randomized trial comparing straight and colonic pouch anastomosis. Fasting plasma samples of both peptides were collected intraoperatively, after one week, before loop ileostomy closure, and at 1, 3, and 12 months after loop ileostomy closure.
Results: There was no difference between the straight and the pouch groups in plasma concentrations of either peptide at any time period postoperatively. The only longitudinal hormonal changes were transient increases in mucosal peptide YY content at one-month follow-up and in mucosal enteroglucagon content before loop ileostomy closure.
Conclusion: Peptide YY and enteroglucagon responses in these patients appear not to be major factors for improved outcome after formation of a colonic pouch in low anterior resection.