Effects of viscosity and fluid outflow on postcibal gastric emptying of solids

It is known that the food-filled stomach retains large spheres or pieces of food, allowing the passage of food particles or of plastic spheres with diameters mainly below 2 mm. We have recently shown that spheres having densities greater or less than water emptied from the food-filled canine stomach more slowly than spheres of the same diameter with a density of 1. Thus, hydrodynamics seem to govern gastric emptying of spheres. The present studies were undertaken to determine how altering other hydrodynamic factors, viscosity and velocity of fluid outflow, might affect gastric sieving. Ten mongrel dogs were prepared with chronic duodenal fistulas, which allowed collecting and measuring of emptied spheres and food. The dogs were fed a standard meal of 75 g of steak plus 25 g of 99mTc-labeled chicken liver. Immediately afterward, 50 3.2-mm Teflon spheres were instilled into the stomachs along with 200- or 800-ml volumes of saline or saline plus guar (a viscous polysaccharide). Whether 200- or 800-ml volumes were instilled, the guar significantly sped the emptying of the spheres. Fluid outflow was twice as fast after the 800-ml instillates, but the faster outflow with the 800 ml of saline did not speed emptying of spheres. With the guar instillates, the faster outflow slightly sped the emptying of the spheres and significantly increased the diameter of emptied particles of 99mTc-labeled chicken liver. We conclude that meal viscosity significantly affects gastric sieving.