[Lactose digestion and absorption in the jejunum of man: studies using the regional perfusion method].

Continuous jejunal perfusion with 0.1, 1 and 10% lactose solutions was made in 9 patients with good milk tolerance and 25 patients with secondary hypolactasia. In normal tolerance lactose is assimilated in amounts of 30-60% along the 30 cm of the jejunal length. Hypolactasia results in inhibited hydrolysis and absorption of lactose whose activity rapidly diminishes. The phenomenon of substrate lactose induction is demonstrated available both in normal and hypolactasia conditions. In stepwise introduction of lactose in the intestine the tolerance to milk sugar noticeably rises. This fact should be allowed for when conducting enteral feeding.