Late effects of proximal gastric vagotomy compared with antrectomy and selective vagotomy for chronic duodenal ulcer. A randomized study with 5-year follow-up.

Twenty-three patients who had been given a proximal gastric vagotomy and 29 patients who had had an antrectomy were examined periodically for 5 years after their operations for duodenal ulcers. Five years after surgery, 83% of the proximal gastric vagotomy patients and 86% of the antrectomy and selective vagotomy patients were included in Visick grades I-II. We found 4/24 recurrent ulcers in the vagotomy group and 1/29 in the antrectomy group; in addition 3 of the antrectomy patients had to be reoperated. Acid secretion was reduced by 54% in the vagotomy patients and by over 90% in the antrectomized patients. In the group that had had a proximal gastric vagotomy, maximal acid secretion in the insulin test decreased by 78%. Body weight did not decrease and haematological status did not worsen in either group. Intestinal absorption of fat, xylose and vitamin B12, serum calcium levels and urinary excretion did not change during the follow-up. One year after the operation, the level of serum alkaline phosphatase had risen, and urinary excretion of hydroxyproline had increased in the resected group but after five years, these values were unchanged. Mineral density of bone unchanged decreased significantly in both groups. We conclude that during five years after surgery antrectomy with selective vagotomy does not cause more metabolic disturbances than proximal gastric vagotomy, but is followed by more mechanical problems than proximal gastric vagotomy.