What is the most likely diagnosis for a woman with loose stools after ileal resection for Crohn's disease?

The scenario describes a woman experiencing loose stools following an ileal resection due to Crohn's disease. This condition commonly results in bile salt malabsorption because the ileum is primarily responsible for absorbing bile acids. When ileal function is compromised, such as after surgical resection, bile salts can escape into the colon. In the colon, these bile salts draw water into the intestinal lumen, leading to diarrhea, which is termed bile salt-induced diarrhea.

Bile salt-induced diarrhea can often occur after ileectomy or significant resection of the ileum, which aligns with the woman's surgical history related to her Crohn's disease. The inability of the ileum to adequately reclaim bile salts creates a surplus of these substances in the intestines, causing the described symptomatology.

This mechanism distinctly differentiates bile salt-induced diarrhea from other potential causes of loose stools in post-surgical patients. For example, active Crohn's disease would typically present with a multitude of systemic symptoms and inflammation markers, which aren't explicitly mentioned here. Adverse effects of mesalazine might lead to gastrointestinal upset but would not usually be isolated to diarrhea after ileal resection. Similarly, irritable bowel syndrome can manifest with loose stools but is less likely to follow a specific