A comparison of gastric emptying at 3 and 12 months after proximal gastric or selective vagotomy without pyloroplasty

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Abstract
A prospective study was performed to determine whether the early postoperative disturbance of gastric emptying after vagotomy altered with the passage of time. In 20 patients the rate of emptying of a 10 per cent dextrose meal was measured by a double sampling dye dilution technique before and 3 months after proximal gastric vagotomy or selective vagotomy without a drainage procedure. Ten of these patients agreed to a further emptying study at 12 months after operation. Profound changes in the pattern of emptying occurred as a result of either operation. At 3 months after operation both selective and proximal gastric vagotomy were associated with an initial cascading of part of the meal (gastric incontinence). Selective vagotomy was then associated with an increase in the time taken for complete emptying, whereas after proximal gastric vagotomy the time taken for complete emptying was similar to that before surgery. In the next 9 months after operation no significant change occurred in the initial cascading, but the delay in complete emptying after selective vagotomy improved in some patients.