24-H study of gastric acidity and bile acid concentration after parietal cell vagotomy

Intragastric pH and bile acid concentration (BAC) were measured over 24 h in 15 sham-feeding-negative patients, 7 with and 8 without recurrence after parietal cell vagotomy (PCV). Nocturnal acidity was significantly higher (p less than 0.02), and BAC at night significantly lower (p less than 0.02), in the group with recurrent ulcers after PCV. There were no significant differences postoperatively in acidity or BAC between seven patients who had duodenal ulcers preoperatively and eight patients with prepyloric ulcers. High nocturnal acidity may be a predisposing factor for the recurrence of ulcers after PCV.