How does a persons digestive system function if a large part of the intestine is removed during surgery?
The digestive system of most people functions very well after surgery. The small intestine is about 20 feet; the large intestine is about five feet long. People are able to live quite normally without a portion of the small intestine and all of the large intestine. Most digestion takes place before food reaches the colon; therefore, most people function as well as they did before the surgery. The most common change after removal of a portion of the colon is an increased frequency of bowel evacuations.
