Critically evaluate how surgical resection of a 50% length of the small intestine (reducing overall villus surface area by ~50%) would differentially affect the absorption kinetics of glucose versus dietary triglycerides over the immediate post-operative period.

• A. Triglyceride absorption would be completely abolished because lacteals are uniformly distributed and any resection removes all fat-absorbing sites, while glucose absorption increases via compensatory hepatic gluconeogenesis.
• B. Neither nutrient absorption would change because the colon compensates fully for small intestine loss by converting polysaccharides into absorbable monomers and by developing new lacteals within 24 hours.
• C. Glucose absorption would be unchanged because transporters upregulate instantly, whereas triglyceride absorption would double since less intestine forces more efficient fat uptake per unit surface area.
• D. Both nutrients would have reduced absolute absorption due to less surface area, but glucose absorption (via capillaries and portal circulation) might show a more pronounced immediate decline because fewer transporters in remaining mucosa and limited adaptive time reduce portal flux, while triglyceride absorption could be partially preserved by slower chylomicron assembly and longer lymph transit allowing some redistribution; overall both reduced, but kinetics and peak timing differ.

Answer: (D)