Dumping syndrome and diarrhoea after vagotomy.

The frequency and severity of the post-vagotomic dumping syndrome and diarrhoea were studied in 470 cases. After vagotomy the incidence of the dumping syndrome is lower and that of diarrhoea higher than after conventional gastric resection. The dumping syndrome occurred in 8.30 percent [39 cases], but only three patients belonged into the severe group [0.80 percent]. The frequency of post-vagotomy diarrhoea was 11.49 percent [54 cases] of which six belonged into the severe group [1.34 and 1.04 percent, respectively]. The possibility respectively of preventing or reducing the frequency of these side-effects is discussed.