Parietal cell density before and after parietal cell vagotomy in duodenal ulcer patients

Parietal cell density, mucosal height, grade of gastritis and pentagastrin-stimulated acid production were assessed before and three months after parietal cell vagotomy (PCV) in 14 patients with duodenal ulcer. Parietal cell density was found to be unaltered after vagotomy and there was no difference in the parietal cell count in the neck and base of the glands. Both the basal acid production and the pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion were significantly reduced after PCV. No correlation could be shown between the stimulated acid production and the parietal cell count, either pre- or postoperatively. (r = 0.14 and r = 0.19). Mucosal height and grade of gastritic changes remained unchanged. It is concluded that PCV in duodenal ulcer patients causes no change in parietal cell density assessed at three months post-operatively. Vagotomy causes no mucosal atrophy or gastritic changes within this period.