The effect of parietal cell vagotomy and selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty on body weight and dietary habits. A prospective randomized study.

Body weight and dietary habits were studied in 32 male patients in a consecutive randomized series of parietal cell vagotomy (PCV) and selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty (SV + P). There were 16 patients in each group. One month after surgery all patients had lost weight. During the first 2 postoperative years following PCV most patients regained their preoperative weight. SV + P led to an impaired ability to gain weight. Following PCV the consumption of fat was reduced but the carbohydrate consumption increased, leading to an unchanged total daily energy intake. The daily energy intake decreased following SV + P in spite of an increased consumption of protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, and eggs. The decreased energy intake was due to a reduced intake of fat, sugar, and milk following SV + P. It is concluded that dumping is a contributory cause of the reduced energy intake following SV + P.