Intestinal fistula output in regular, elemental, and intravenous alimentation

The output of experimental enterocutaneous fistulas of the terminal ileum was studied in adult mongrel dogs. The volume lost in dogs fed an elemental diet was 81 per cent lower than the volume lost in dogs fed regular canned dog chow and 93 per cent lower than that in dogs fed by total intravenous alimentation. The nutritional losses in general paralleled the volume losses, being greatest in the dogs fed regular diet, markedly reduced in dogs fed elemental diet, and further reduced in dogs receiving total intravenous alimentation.