[Echography of post-vagotomy gallbladder emptying]

Truncal vagotomy has been related to an enlargement of the resting volume and impaired contraction of the gallbladder, and an increased incidence of cholelithiasis, changes that are not reported in selective or highly selective vagotomy. We studied 12 patients, 7 with truncal vagotomy, 2 with selective, 1 with highly selective and 1 patient with subtotal gastrectomy alone. We measured the gallbladder volume and contraction sonographically and compared them with normal values. The patients with truncal vagotomy had an increased resting volume and an impaired gallbladder contraction. The patients with selective vagotomy had a normal resting volume but a decreased gallbladder contraction. We also found cholelithiasis in 2 of our patients with truncal vagotomy, for an incidence of 28%, similar to the ones reported by other authors.