Effect of Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy on gastric emptying of a solid meal following antrectomy and vagotomy.

Gastric emptying of a 51Cr labelled solid meal was studied before and at least 6 months after operation for pyloric-prepyloric ulcer disease. All patients underwent an antrectomy, selective gastric vagotomy but 10 were randomized to a gastroduodenostomy and 12 to a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy. There was no significant difference in the emptying rate between patients studied preoperatively (T 75 = 48 +/- 21.8 min) and those investigated after a Billroth I gastroduodenostomy (T 75 = 45 +/- 15.8 min). However, the emptying rate was significantly retarded in the Roux-en-Y patients as compared to those studied preoperatively (T 75 + T 50 + T 25). In the former group, an initial retardation of emptying of the meal was most apparent (T 75 = 89 +/- 81.7 min). Due to a high standard deviation, the difference between the Roux-en-Y and gastroduodenostomy groups did not reach statistical significance. Our results would indicate that retarded gastric emptying is not a regular phenomenon after a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy provided that a selective gastric vagotomy had been performed and the investigation been carried out at least 6 months after the operation.