Roux-Y stasis syndrome after gastrectomy

The aim of the present study was to determine which factors lead to upper gastrointestinal stasis after Roux-Y reconstruction. Among the 214 patients with Roux-Y reconstructions performed between 1961 and 1983, follow-up data were obtained for 187 (87 percent) after a mean of 6.2 years. Patients with vomiting of food but not bile, postprandial pain, and nausea were considered to have the Roux-Y stasis syndrome. The syndrome was found in 49 patients with gastrojejunostomy (30 percent of those at risk) but in only 2 patients with esophagojejunostomy (8 percent, p less than 0.05). The condition was more common in women than men (p less than 0.05), but it was equally common in patients with and without vagotomy. The mean length of the Roux-Y limb in patients with stasis was 41 cm, which was longer than the 36 cm in patients without stasis (p less than 0.001). When multiple logistic regression was used, the length of the Roux-Y limb emerged as the major risk factor (p less than 0.01). In conclusion, construction of Roux-Y limbs greater than about 40 cm in length may increase the incidence of the Roux-Y stasis syndrome.