Dietary habits of patients with regurgitation after colon interposition

The dietary habits after colon interposition following oesophagectomy in patients without symptoms (n = 8), with regurgitation (n = 22) and in sex- and age-matched healthy controls (n = 20) were studied by a 7-day diary method. The patients ate smaller meals (1080 +/- 90 kJ versus 1810 +/- 151 for the controls, P less than 0.01), more frequently during the day (eight versus five in the controls). Solid and sour foods were preferred, especially by those with regurgitation, compared with controls. The asymptomatic patients consumed more milk and coffee and less cheese, sour milk, meat, fish, eggs, tea and orange juice than the patients with regurgitation. Vegetable fats and medium chain triglycerides were consumed in negligible amounts. The patients with regurgitation had more fluids separately from meals than the asymptomatic patients. The results suggest that intake of vitamin supplements and replacement of animal fats by vegetable fats may be useful in these patients. Much of the dietary difficulties after colon interposition might be the result of the intra-abdominal colon graft loop anastomosed to the antrum; a short graft with a more proximal anastomosis to the lesser curvature merits study in this context.