Effect of gastrectomy with either Roux-en-Y or Billroth II anastomosis on small-intestinal function

This prospective study was undertaken in patients scheduled for gastrectomy for peptic ulcer disease to determine the effect of partial gastrectomy with either Roux-en-Y (n = 11) or Billroth II anastomosis (n = 11) on the function of the small intestine. Patients were studied before and at 6 months (blood and small-intestinal function tests) and at 24 months (blood tests) postoperatively. Median postoperative body weights at 6 months (70.5 kg; p less than 0.01) and 12 months (70.3 kg; NS) were lower than preoperatively (73.0 kg). Haemoglobin concentrations at 6 months (8.9 mM; p less than 0.01) and at 24 months (9.1 mM; p less than 0.05) were also significantly reduced compared with the preoperative value (9.5 mM). However, neither at 6 nor at 24 months postoperatively were there significant changes for serum iron, iron saturation, folic acid, vitamin B12, protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, and calcium concentrations. Whereas no significant deterioration of the absorption of D-xylose and vitamin B12 or of faecal fat excretion was observed, the orocoecal transit time was significantly shortened from 98 to 50 min (p less than 0.01), the expiratory hydrogen excretion after a 50-g oral glucose load was significantly increased from 8 to 54 ppm (p less than 0.01), as was indicanuria from 257 to 368 mumol/24 h (p less than 0.01). Apart from a lower serum iron concentration and iron saturation index in the Roux-en-Y patients 6 months postoperatively (p less than 0.05), no significant differences between the two types of anastomosis were observed. It is therefore concluded that both in patients with Roux-en-Y and in those with Billroth II anastomosis most abnormalities observed after gastrectomy are secondary to an accelerated small-intestinal transit.