Pancreatic Function after Seromyotomy of the Canine Stomach

Abstract

Anterior gastric seromyotomy combined with posterior truncal vagotomy has been proposed as an acid-reducing operation for patients with duodenal ulcer. Section of the posterior vagal trunk could, however, be held responsible for reduced pancreatic function, seen in patients after bilateral truncal vagotomy. In this study the pancreatic function after anterior gastric seromyotomy and posterior truncal vagotomy has been evaluated in a series of canine experiments by means of a direct hormone stimulation test. No reduction of the basal or stimulated exocrine pancreatic secretion was noted after this type of vagotomy.

Pancreatic Secretion after Anterior Gastric Wall Stapling with Posterior Truncal Vagotomy in Dogs

“…Lipase and amylase secretions follow ing vagotomy show a comparable pattern. Therefore, diarrhea due to maldigestion is not to be expected after this procedure, confirm ing an earlier study [9] in which the excretion of pancreatic hydrogen carbonate and amy lase was measured after seromyotomy, com bined with posterior truncal vagotomy. These results, however, were obtained 2 weeks after vagotomy, a period much shorter than in the present study.…”

“…The minor pancreatic duct was deliber ately not ligated, neither in this investigation nor in the aforementioned experiments [9] nor in the sensitivity test of canine pancreatic intraductal pressure after subclinical reduc tion of the cholinesterase activity [34]. An important reason for this is the avoidance of" pancreatitis and parenchymal damage after ligation which could impair enzyme determi nations following vagotomy.…”

“…under general anesthesia but avoiding the use of anticholinergics. Details of pan creatic secretion study have been reported previously Pancreatic Secretion alter Gastric Stapling [9], The studies were always performed in the morning after a 24-hour fasting period. After laparotomy and duodenotomy, the main pancreatic duct was cannulatcd with a 20-gauge catheter introduced into the papilla.…”