[Variations in post-small bowel resection gastric acid hypersecretion and hyper-gastrinemia after vagotomy and...

Resection of the small bowel provokes gastric acid hypersecretion and hyper-gastrinemia. Various studies have been conducted to assess the effects of vagotomy and antrectomy on post-resection gastric hyperacidity, both on basal levels and those after stimulation with histamine and pentagastrin. Similar studies involved hypergastrinemia levels. A total of 100 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups : controls (C). massive small bowel resection (R), vagotomy plus pyloroplasty (VP). antrectomy (A), vagotomy plus pyloroplasty and bowel resection (VPR), and antrectomy plus bowel resection (AR). - It was demonstrated that vagotomy is the most effective method for reducing gastric acid hypersecretion after small bowel resection. Antrectomy provokes diminution of gastric acid secretion in animals without bowel resections, but neither this nor gastrinemia levels are significantly altered in operated animals. Synergistic action of the mechanisms provoking post-resection and post-vagotomy hyper-gastrinemia is observed when they occur in the same group of animals, the incidence being higher than that observed after vagotomy or resection alone. Gastrinemia levels increased after VPR or reduced after AR cannot be differentially transposed to gastric secretion in these two groups of animals, demonstrating that, under these conditions, blood gastrin levels are not the principal factor involved in gastric secretion control.