Long-term follow-up of patients with jejunal pouch reconstruction after total gastrectomy. A randomized prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Fifty-one patients were operated on during 1988-1992 and randomized after total gastrectomy to one of two reconstruction types. Twenty patients with jejunal pouch reconstruction and 14 patients with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (67% of all) survived at least 3 years after total gastrectomy. We studied symptoms, eating capacity, and nutrition in these patients during the clinical follow-up; 21 patients were assessed by mail questionnaire 8 years after total gastrectomy.


METHODS
Postoperative symptoms, number of meals, and eating capacity were assessed by standard questionnaire during 3 years' follow-up. Weight loss and nutritional laboratory variables were measured, and upper intestinal endoscopy with biopsy was performed during the follow-up. Eight years after the operation symptoms, ability to eat, and number of meals consumed were studied by means of a mail questionnaire.


RESULTS
Three years postoperatively dumping (64% compared with 10%, P < 0.05) and early satiety (86% compared with 5%, P < 0.05) were commoner in the Roux-en-Y group. In the pouch group eating capacity was better (96% of normal compared with 67%, P < 0.05), and the patients ate fewer meals per day (mean, 2.7 versus 5.3, P < 0.05) at 3 years. Mean weight loss at 3 years was 9.9 kg in the Roux-en-Y group compared with 1.5 kg in the pouch group (P < 0.05). 25 (OH) vitamin D concentration tended to be higher in the pouch group (47.3 nmol/l compared with 33.9 nmol/l). In the Roux-en-Y group serum alkaline phosphatase activity increased significantly during the 3 postoperative years (from mean 163 U/l to 248 U/l, P < 0.01) and tended to be higher (248 U/l compared with 216 U/l in the pouch group). None of the patients developed oesophagitis or pouchitis during the follow-up. One patient developed a bezoar in the pouch 5 years after gastrectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Pouch reconstruction after total gastrectomy is associated with diminished postoperative symptoms, better eating capacity, and decreased weight loss compared with Roux-en-Y reconstruction. Jejunal pouch reconstruction is thus the recommended surgical method after total gastrectomy.
Iivonen
M K
MK
Dept. of Surgery, Kanta-Häme Central Hospital, Hämeenlinna, Finland.
Mattila
J J
JJ
Nordback
I H
IH
Matikainen
M J
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007583:Jejunum / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D015431:Weight Loss