An improved peroperative test of vagal section

Twenty patients undergoing vagotomy were submitted to a Burge test and to our modified version of the test using a strain gauge. The Burge test produced 2 false negative results and 3 false positives. The strain gauge test produced 1 false positive result and no false negatives. The strain gauge test appears to be more sensitive and more reliable than the Burge and uses less expensive apparatus.