Table 2.

A guide to residual small bowel length and long-term fluid/nutritional support requirements for patients with high-output stoma

Jejunal length (cm)	Likely long-term fluid/nutritional requirements
	Jejunum-colon with colostomy	Jejunostomy
<75	Parenteral nutrition*	Parenteral nutrition+parenteral fluids
75–100	Oral (or enteral) nutrition*	Parenteral fluids±parenteral nutrition
100–150	None	Oral or enteral nutrition+oral glucose/saline solution
150–200	None	Oral glucose/saline

*Requirements may reduce with time due to the effects of functional intestinal adaptation.

This table is adapted from reference 3.