The selective nerve stain leucomethylene blue as an intraoperative aid to achieving complete vagotomy

The recently reported vagal nerve stain leucomethylene blue was assessed in 20 patients as an intraoperative aid to attaining complete vagotomy. Of 101 stained specimens removed at surgery, only 30 (30%) contained nerve tissue. Four of 17 postoperative insulin tests were positive by Hollander's criteria. The dye technique was found to be an unreliable method of ensuring complete vagotomy at the time of surgery.