The Surgical Factors Influencing Duodenogastric Reflux

The surgical factors influencing duodenogastric reflux have been assessed in dog and man using the biliary radiopharmaceutical 99mTc-EHIDA. Cholecystectomy led to a significant increase in the amount of reflux (P less than 0.01), but the combination of truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty in addition to cholecystectomy produced a greater amount of reflux (P less than 0.01). In man, cholecystectomy also resulted in a significant increase in the amount of reflux (P less than 0.01). In ten control subjects reflux occurred but the amount was small and was not significantly different from the modified highly selective vagotomy group (n = 20). Symptomatic patients after truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty (n = 16) showed a significant increase in the amount of reflux (P less than 0.002) but the combination of vagotomy and pyloroplasty in addition to cholecystectomy (n = 15) demonstrated the greatest amount of reflux (P less than 0.002). Similarly the addition of cholecystectomy to highly selective vagotomy (n = 9) showed a significant increase in the amount of reflux (P less than 0.02). Reconstruction of the pylorus (n = 8) was not a satisfactory procedure for the prevention of reflux but antrectomy and Roux-en-Y biliary diversion (n = 8) resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of reflux (P less than 0.001) and this was associated with clinical improvement.