title: Scintigraphic evaluation of gastric emptying in obese patients submitted to sleeve gastrectomy compared to normal subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has been accepted as an option for surgical treatment for obesity. This operation could be associated with motor gastric dysfunction and abnormal gastric emptying. The purpose of this prospective study is to present the results of gastric emptying to liquids and solids using scintigraphy in patients who underwent SG compared to normal subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty obese patients were submitted to laparoscopic SG and were compared to 18 normal subjects. Gastric emptying of liquids and solids was measured by scintigraphic technique. Results were expressed as half time of gastric emptying and the percentage of retention at 20, 30, and 60 min for liquids and at 60, 90, and 120 min for solids.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group of operated patients, 70% of them (n = 14) presented accelerated emptying for liquids and 75% (n = 15) for solids compared to 22.2% and 27.7%, respectively, in the control group. The half time of gastric emptying (T (1/2)) in patients submitted to SG both for liquids and solids were significantly more accelerated compared to the control group (34.9 +/- 24.6 vs 13.6 +/- 11.9 min for liquids and 78 +/- 15.01 vs 38.3 +/- 18.77 min for solids; p < 0.01). The gastric emptying for liquids expressed as the percentage of retention at 20, 30, and 60 min was 30.0 +/- 0.25%, 15.4 +/- 0.18%, and 5.7 +/- 0.10%, respectively, in operated patients, significantly less than the control subjects (p < 0.001). For solids, the percentage of retention at 60, 90, and 120 min was 56 +/- 28%, 34 +/- 22%, and 12 +/- 8%, respectively, for controls, while it was 25.3 +/- 0.20%, 9 +/- 0.12%, and 3 +/- 0.05%, respectively, in operated patients (p < 001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gastric emptying after SG is accelerated either for liquids as well as for solids in the majority of patients. These results could be taken in consideration for the dietary indications after surgery and could play a significant role in the definitive results during the late follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santos Dumont 999, Santiago, Chile. ibraghet@redclinicauchile.cl
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Braghetto
authors.forename: Cristóbal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davanzo
authors.forename: Owen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Korn
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Csendes
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valladares
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papapietro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005502:Food; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss