Precise gastric secretory studies using a new fiber-gastroscope

A system for the precise measurement of gastric secretion was devised using an endoscope produced specially for this purpose. Gastric juice was collected through the endoscope every 10 minutes before and after tetragastrin stimulation. Results were compared with those obtained by the conventional method using a nasogastric tube in the same patients (n = 24). The ratio of gastric secretory volume and acid output with the endoscopic method, to those with the conventional method ranged from 1.30 to 1.48. This difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.01). There was no significant difference in the acid concentration of gastric juice collected by the two methods. The coefficient of variation for the volume collected in six basal 10-minute fractions was significantly smaller in the endoscopic method. Gastric secretory studies can be performed by endoscopy with no more discomfort, and the result is more accurate than studies using a gastric tube. This precise method of gastric analysis should prove useful in investigating gastric physiology when accuracy and reliability are paramount.