A 62-year-old man has perforated diverticulitis and undergoes an emergent left hemicolectomy with a diverting loop ileostomy. If he has a high output ileostomy and is at risk of diversion colitis, which fatty acids are not being absorbed?
A. Butyric acid and propionic acidShort-chain fatty acids (acetic acid, butyric acid, and propionic acid) are produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates and are an important source of energy for the colonic mucosa, and metabolism by colonocytes provides energy for processes such as active transport of sodium. Diversion of feces by an ileostomy or colostomy can result in "diversion colitis" which is associated with mucosal atrophy and inflammation.