Gastric Emptying after Gastric Surgery

Abstract

Almost any study upon the stomach will alter gastric motility and emptying. There are many reports on the effects of different operations on gastric or gastric remnant emptying, studied by a wide variety of methods. So the results are difficult to compare. The aim of this study was to investigate, with one standardized radionuclide technique, the effect of highly selective vagotomy, truncal vagotomy with pyloroplasty, partial gastrectomy (Billroth II), truncal vagotomy with partial gastrectomy (Billroth II) and subtotal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction on gastric emptying of semisolid and solid meals. Furthermore, the correlation between postoperative symptoms and emptying patterns are investigated in these patients. It is concluded from this study that, in patients with postprandial symptoms after gastric surgery, significant correlations exist between the emptying patterns of normal semisolid and solid meals and those symptoms. Symptoms appear to be more severe and intractable when any form of gastric resection is combined with vagotomy. Knowledge of the importance of gastric motility and emptying is essential for any surgeon involved in surgery of the stomach.

Epigastric Fullness

“…pigastric fullness or pain, in particular after the ingestion of a meal, as well as bloating, belching, early satiety and nausea with or without vomiting may be due to a disordered gastric motor function resulting in delayed gastric emptying, but may have its origin in rapid emptying, leading to a distention of the proximal small intestine (1). Symptoms are not reliable indicators of underlying disorders (2).…”