Intragastric pressure/volume relationship before and after proximal gastric vagotomy

The examinations were performed before and after proximal gastric vagotomy (PGV) in 10 patients with duodenal ulcer. A flaccid plastic balloon located in the corpus-fundus region was stepwise filled with known volumes of water. Post-operative insulin tests were negative in 8 patients and late positive in two. Basal and pentagastrin-stimulated acid output were reduced by a mean of 88 and 62 percent, respectively. Intragastric pressure was significantly increased after PGV, whereas rhythmic contractions were reduced in all cases. It is concluded that PGV interferes with gastric motility and adaptation to volume variations.