IgA deficiency and severe post-vagotomy diarrhoea.

Between January, 1969, and December, 1973, 2058 truncal vagotomies were performed in the Merseyside Regional Health Authority area. 14 of these patients subsequently developed severe post-vagotomy diarrhoea and were extensively investigated. 6 were found to have IgA deficiency. It is suggested that antecedent IgA deficiency may account for the varied reported incidence of severe post-vagotomy diarrhoea and that preoperative screening could reduce the incidence of this complication.