Relationship between gastric emptying of solids and gall bladder emptying in normal subjects

J N Baxter , J S Grime , M Critchley

Gut +

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April 1, 1985

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Gallbladder emptying can occur before eating and exhibits distinct patterns related to gastric emptying. These findings reveal new insights into digestive system coordination.

Area Of Science

Gastroenterology
Digestive Physiology
Biliary System Function

Background

The temporal and quantitative relationships between gastric emptying and gallbladder emptying are not well understood.
Investigating these physiological processes is crucial for understanding digestive system coordination.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate the normal temporal and quantitative relationships between gastric emptying and gallbladder emptying in healthy adults.
To characterize different patterns of gallbladder emptying in relation to food intake.

Main Methods

A non-invasive double isotope technique was employed in 22 healthy adults.
99Tcm EHIDA was used as a biliary tracer, and 113Inm-labeled bran served as the gastric content tracer.
Gastric emptying was assessed using a monoexponential model, while gallbladder emptying was analyzed using a double exponential function.

Main Results

Gastric emptying demonstrated a half-life (t1/2) of 45 ± 3 minutes.
In 15 subjects, gallbladder emptying followed a double exponential function related to eating, with 15.0 ± 1.6% emptying before gastric emptying began.
Two distinct types of eating-related gallbladder emptying were identified: a faster Type I response (n=9) and a slower Type II response (n=6).
In seven subjects, gallbladder emptying occurred spontaneously, independent of eating.

Conclusions

Gallbladder emptying may involve a cephalic phase and can be described by a double exponential function.
Gallbladder emptying can occur independently of food intake.
Eating-related gallbladder emptying presents as either a fast (Type I) or slow (Type II) pattern.

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