Effect of proximal gastric vagotomy and truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty on gastric functions and growth in puppies after massive small bowel resection.

The effects of truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty and proximal gastric vagotomy on gastric acid hypersecretion, hypergastrinemia, and growth after massive bowel resection were studied in beagle puppies. In puppies with 80% enterectomy, neither type of vagotomy alters significantly the postprandial hypersecretion of acid from the Heidenhain pouch or the concentration of serum gastrin. Proximal gastric vagotomy tended to decrease the hypersecretion more than did truncal vagotomy. In beagle puppies undergoing 70% small bowel resection, growth was significantly decreased but survival was not impaired. Neither proximal gastric vagotomy nor truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty reversed completely the impaired growth produced by massive resection. Proximal gastric vagotomy caused a small improvements in growth, while truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty resulted in a slight decrease in growth. It remains possible that proximal gastric vagotomy could be of value in the management of growing infants with hypersecretion of acid due to short bowel syndrome.