Gastric outlet loss and enterogastric reflux after gastrectomy

The relationship of gastric secretion in response to a single injection of insulin and in response to a histamine infusion, before and after partial gastrectomy, was analysed in 58 patients. The aspirated gastric juice was corrected for gastric outlet loss and enterogastric reflux. Gastrectomy drastically reduced the stimulated gastric secretion by a similar proportion for the two secretagogues, thereby implying that antral gastrin plays no greater part in one than in the other. Gastric outlet losses were also reduced after gastrectomy, but as a fraction of gastric contents, both gastric outlet loss and enterogastric reflux more than doubled; the possible relationship of these findings to the aetiology of gastric ulcer is discussed.