Pyloroplasty and Vagotomy

Abstract

Vagotomy and pyloroplasty is an established operative procedure in the management of peptic ulceration.1As described by Kraft and Fry,2a wide, formal Finney pyloroplasty has been adopted as the drainage procedure of choice at the University of Michigan, as well as at other centers. Following vagotomy and Finney pyloroplasty, a distinct number of patients develop impaired gastric emptying as reported by Kraft et al.3This abnormality in gastric emptying occurs in the early postoperative period and has been ascribed to the physiologic effects of vagotomy. To our knowledge, no investigator has formally questioned the physiologic alterations induced by pyloroplasty. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pyloroplasty on gastric antral and duodenal motility. Secondly, we also considered the effect of pyloroplasty plus vagotomy on contractile activity of the antral duodenal area. For these purposes, a series of dogs were chronically prepared