Results of corrective surgery for alkaline reflux gastritis

Reflux alkaline gastritis and esophagitis have been incriminated as a source of symptoms in achlorhydric patients afer operation for duodenal ulcer. Documentation of such pathologic findings has increased due to widespread use of fiberoptic endoscopy. As reported in the literature, results of remedial operations have ranged from encouraging to excellent, and evaluations have been uniformly laudatory. Correlation of the extent of symptoms and of pathologic findings has been difficult, and our results have not been as good as those reported in the literature. During a six-year period, the diagnosis of bile reflux gastritis in 13 patients was based on a characteristic symptom complex, endoscopic appearance, and histopathologic confirmation. Either a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy or a Tanner-Roux 19 was the corrective procedure. There was complete relief of symptoms in five patients (38%) and partial relief in four, but no apparent relief in four others. In at least three of the patients, chronic gastritis and/or esophagitis have persisted and have not improved despite biliary diversion. Tabulation of the results of 13 remedial operations for reflux alkaline gastritis disclosed that copmlete relief of symptoms was achieved in 50% of those who had the Roux-en-Y and in 20% of those who had the Tanner 19 procedure. Based on our findings, we recommend a cautious approach to the surgical management of alkaline gastritis.