The purpose of this study was to assess intestinal function after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). In two groups of intestinal lymph fistula rats (experimental), the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was isolated and occluded for 10 min. In the remaining two groups (controls), the SMA was isolated but not occluded. Twenty-four or forty-eight hours after I/R, a lipid test meal containing radioactive triolein was infused at 3 ml/h for 8 h. Radioactive lipid in lymph, lumen, intestinal wall, portal and systemic blood, epididymal fat pads, and liver was determined. Lymph radioactive lipid output was markedly depressed in the 24-h experimental rats compared with the other three groups, and this deficiency was restored 48 h after I/R. This reduction in lipid output in lymph appeared to be the result of an increased portal transport of the infused radioactive lipid rather than a deficiency of digestion or absorption of infused triolein. We have further validated the markedly increased portal transport of radioactive lipid after I/R by using Triton WR-1339, which blocks peripheral metabolism of hepatic very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). When Triton WR-1339 was introduced in 24 experimental and control animals, the experimental rats accumulated significantly more radioactive lipid (12-14% of infused lipid) than the control animals (2-3% of infused lipid), indicating a marked increase in portal transport of radioactive lipid, which was taken up by the liver and then resecreted into circulation as VLDL. Thus intestinal lipid absorption is sensitive to the deleterious effects of ischemia followed by reperfusion, and therefore it may be used as a functional assessment of the small intestine after I/R-induced injuries.