Functional assessment of bacterial colonization in patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis and Brooke ileostomy.

Purpose: This study was designed to determine whether patients with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis have increased gastrointestinal bacterial colonization as assessed functionally compared with patients with Brooke ileostomy and to determine the effect of pouch bacterial colonization on pouch function.

Methods: Gastrointestinal bacterial colonization in 27 patients with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis and 20 patients with a Brooke ileostomy was assessed using the 14C-glycocholate and glucose-hydrogen breath tests. Bacterial colonization was correlated with pouch function and pouch satisfaction.