Increased flow in the superior mesenteric artery in dumping syndrome

Transcutaneous Doppler ultrasound was used to measure resting and postprandial blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery (SMABF) in nine patients with dumping syndrome and in ten normal volunteers of matching age and sex. All nine patients experienced signs and symptoms of dumping during the investigation, but none of the controls did so. At rest, SMABF in the dumping patients (567 +/- 47 ml/min) (mean +/- s.e.m.) did not significantly differ from that of the normal volunteers (493 +/- 72 ml/min). Five minutes from the end of a balanced liquid meal, flow had approximately doubled in each group (1232 +/- 140 and 941 +/- 128 ml/min). Compared with controls, increased SMABF was observed in patients with dumping syndrome at 10 min (76 per cent), 15 min (66 per cent), 30 min (55 per cent) and 45 min (42 per cent) (P = 0.05-0.01). Splanchnic pooling and abnormal redistribution of blood probably contribute to the pathogenesis of the early dumping syndrome.