Delayed gastric emptying after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Gastric surgery may potentiate delayed gastric emptying. The aims of the study were to determine the frequency and causes of delayed gastric emptying in patients who had undergone distal gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma and to assess which factors predispose to its development.


METHODS
209 patients, who had undergone gastrectomy, were evaluated.


RESULTS
Delayed gastric emptying occurred in 4.3% of patients receiving a Billroth-I, and 15.5% of patients receiving a Roux-Y reconstruction (p = 0.01). The patients who had these consecutive symptoms following Roux-Y operation were all clinically diagnosed as having Roux stasis syndrome. The delayed gastric emptying after Roux-Y operation was more frequent in patients receiving extensive lymph node dissection than those receiving conventional dissection (p<0.05). The symptoms spontaneously subsided, and postoperative body weight loss was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the strong association between delayed gastric emptying and the Roux-Y procedure, it enables a relatively early return to oral intake.
Hirao
Motohiro
M
Department of Surgery, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka, Japan. hiraom@onh.go.jp
Fujitani
Kazumasa
K
Tsujinaka
Toshimasa
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018530:Gastric Stump / Q000601:surgery*; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013577:Syndrome