Abnormalities of gastric emptying and pyloric reflux in uncomplicated hiatus hernia.

We have measured the rate of gastric emptying of solid and liquid meals by an external scanning technique and have studied pyloric reflux by a radiological technique. Investigations were performed in patients with uncomplicated hiatal hernia, patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcer and normal controls. There was a significant delay in the emptying of both solid and liquid meals in the patients with hiatal hernia compared with both the duodenal ulcer patients (solid meals P less than 0.01, liquid meals P less than 0.025) and with normal controls (solid meals P less than 0.05, liquid meals P less than 0.001). Duodenogastric reflux was observed in 35% of hiatal hernia patients compared with 24% of duodenal ulcer patients and no incidence in the controls.