Ultrastructural study of parietal cells before and after parietal cell vagotomy in patients with duodenal ulcer.

The records of 16 patients of a total of 402 who underwent parietal cell vagotomy without a drainage procedure for duodenal ulcer were reviewed. Biopsies of gastric mucosa were taken before the operation and six months, two years and three years postoperatively. Ultrastructural studies using electron microscopy detail the modifications of the parietal cells which are the main target of the vagal denervation procedure. The parietal cells are greatly modified within six months after parietal cell vagotomy with a significant reduction of the secretory surface of the cells and a sharp increase of tubulovesicular formations regain their preoperative morphologic appearance after two to three years but not their secretory capacity.