Is the vagotomy complete?

Incomplete vagotomy is the single most common cause of ulcer recurrence. Completeness of vagotomy was assessed postoperatively in 17 patients using the congo red test. Various types of vagotomies included truncal vagotomy and gastrojejenostomy in 6, highly selective vagotomy in 5, truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty in 3 and selective vagotomy with gastrojejenostomy in 3 cases. Congo red test was positive in 13 cases, with 9 of these showing evidence of incomplete vagotomy manifesting as erosions, duodenitis, stomal ulceration or ulcer recurrence.