Gastric emptying of liquid test meals of various temperatures in the dog.

Abstract

AbstractLiquid test meal emptying characteristics at various temperatures were studied by implanting a thermistor temperature probe within the gastroduodenal junction of three chronic dog preparations. Three hundred-milliliter test meals of 200 mOsm citrate and citrate + oleic acid were administered to unanesthetized dogs via a gastric tube. Each meal, at 5, 15, 25, and 45° was replicated three times in each dog. Meals at 5° and 45° entered the small bowel at 10.6° and 42.2°, respectively. The rate of return of the test meal temperature to body temperature of the citrate meal was not affected by meal temperature. In contrast, the return of the citrate–fat meal was rapid at 5°. With both meals, meal temperature did not alter the initiation of emptying. The emptying rate (t1/2) showed a significant, but weak correlation with temperature. Our study indicates that liquids can enter the duodenum at temperatures significantly different from body temperature.