[Is a duodenogastric reflux of pathogenic significance?].

Experimentally, the gastric and the duodenal mucosa can both be damaged by acute exposure to small intestinal juice. Though chronic exposure to bile causes mucosal erythema and hyperplasia, the gastric mucosal barrier is not damaged. Duodenogastric reflux is relevant in the pathogenesis of postoperative bilious vomiting and probably of "alkaline" reflux esophagitis. The exact mechanism of mucosal damage has not been established. Duodenogastric reflux is likely to be irrelevant in the pathogenesis of (microscopic) gastritis, of gastric ulcer, and of reflux esophagitis without previous gastric surgery.