Clinical and histological sequelae of Roux-en-Y diversion

Nine post-Polya gastrectomy patients with symptoms of reflux gastritis were studied immediately before and 6 months after Roux-en-Y diversion with a 60 cm jejunal loop. Endoscopy, histology, HIDA radionuclide studies and acid secretory studies were performed to determine the effect of Roux-en-Y diversion. Symptomatic results were pleasing in that all patients were graded as Visick I or II. There was a statistically significant improvement in endoscopic evidence of mucosal damage (median score of 6 reduced to median of 1) and visible bile reflux (median score of 10.5 reduced to 0). Foveolar hyperplasia, superficial chronic gastritis and histological precursors of malignancy all improved. There was a significant decrease in the reflux of 99mTc-labelled HIDA into the gastric remnant while acid secretion remained unchanged. Roux-en-Y diversion with a 60 cm jejunal loop provides not only symptomatic relief but scintigraphic, endoscopic and histological evidence of pancreatobiliary diversion.