[Secondary pancreatic insufficiency following distal stomach resection]

Forty-five patients, 1-37 years following gastric resection (B II n = 34, B I n = 11) underwent an oral pancreatic function test with fluorescein dilaurate (PLT). Out of this group 11 patients suffered from a chronic pancreatitis proven by specific examination. All patients with chronic pancreatitis had pathological PLT-test results. In the B II-patients without primary pancreatic disease there were pathological PLT-test results in 69.7% and 63.6% in the B I-patients, respectively. In the resected patients malabsorption was excluded by unchanged fluorescein-excretion pattern following oral ingestion of free fluorescein. The results indicate a secondary pancreatic insufficiency following distal gastric resection. Patients with signs of malnutrition after gastric resection should undergo an indirect pancreatic function test. Substitution therapy with pancreatic enzymes is indicated following evaluation of exocrine function impairment.