Electrogastrography in patients with Roux-en-Y reconstruction after previous Billroth gastrectomy

The aim of this prospective study was to characterize gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with Roux-en-Y reconstruction after previous Billroth gastrectomy.

Thirteen patients entered the study (6 men and 7 women, aged 35-57). The mean time from Roux-en-Y reconstruction to electrogastrography (EGG) recording was 5 years. Surface cutaneous EGG was recorded using a Digitrapper EGG in the morning both fasting and after a standard solid test meal. All patients assessed their dyspeptic symptoms at the time of EGG in a semi-quantitative subjective scale.

EGG was abnormal in all studied patients (but one postprandial recording). Dyspepsia was not meal-related and was not more severe in Helicobacter pylori positive patients. There was a significant negative correlation between time from Roux-en-Y reconstruction to EGG recording and bradygastria percent activity, both fasted and postprandial (r = -0.576; p = 0.0022). There was an inverse trend between severity of dyspepsia and normal slow-wave rhythm percent activity. Older patients tended to have more severe dyspepsia.

The results of this study suggest that abnormal EGG recording is associated with dyspepsia in patients after Roux-en-Y reconstruction.