Gastric retention following antrectomy and gastroduodenal anastomosis combined with truncal vagotomy.

A clinical series of 208 patients who had elective operations for gastroduodenal ulcer in Surgical Department II, Oslo City Hospital, has been reviewed. The study concentrates on postoperative gastric retention, comparing the frequency of this complication following antrectomy and gastroduodenal anastomosis with and without vagotomy. The patients in the nonvagotomy group had no retention problem. In the vagotomy group, 19 patients (35%) of 54 operated had troublesome postoperative retention. 7 patients (13%) had to have a further operation for this complication, all within 1 year. We no longer use the combined operation as a routine procedure for duodenal ulcer.