GASTRIC SECRETION AND EMPTYING BEFORE AND AFTER VAGOTOMY AND PYLOROPLASTY WITH AND WITHOUT CONTINUOUS INFUSION OF PEPTAVLON PENTAGASTRIN

The effects of Peptavlon on gastric acid secretion and gastric emptying before and after vagotomy and pyloroplasty are reported. Patients were submitted to two Hunt quantitative test meals before, and two after, selective vagotomy and Finney pyloroplasty. The test meals were paired, one being a control meal and the other being performed during continuous intravenous infusion of pentagastrin at a dose rate of 6 μg./kg/hr. Pentagastrin markedly increased acid output over the control level both before and after vagotomy, and the response before operation was greater than that reported by some other workers. There was a significant, but not major, reduction in response to pentagastrin following vagotomy, and control secretion was reduced 36% by vagotomy. Pentagastrin did not appear to affect the rate of gastric emptying. However, vagotomy and pyloroplasty resulted in increased gastric emptying after both control and pentagastrin meals. © 1969 Hoeber Medical Division • Harper & Row, Publishers, Incorporated.