Proximal gastric vagotomy with carbon dioxide laser: experimental studies in animals

Proximal gastric vagotomy has been widely used as a surgical treatment for peptic ulcer disease. However, it is technically complex and time-consuming. Moreover, it may cause circulatory problems in the gastric mucosa. We have reported a new method of blood flow-preserving vagotomy with a carbon dioxide laser (CO2 laser vagotomy) developed in our laboratory. To assess its efficacy, we used cysteamine-induced ulcer and measured gastric mucosal blood flow in rats. The incidence of cysteamine-induced ulcer formation was reduced significantly in the group that underwent CO2 laser vagotomy compared with a group treated with proximal gastric vagotomy. Gastric mucosal blood flow was significantly better in the CO2 laser vagotomy group. Long-term follow-up of acid reduction was evaluated in dogs by the pentagastrin-stimulation test. Acid reduction in dogs was satisfactory during the 12 months of this study. CO2 laser vagotomy is a new, easy, time-saving, and circulatory-preserving technique for peptic ulcer disease.