Roux-en-Y syndrome after surgical treatment of alkaline reflux gastritis.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the possible existence of the so-called in a group of 21 patients who underwent surgery to correct postoperative alkaline reflux gastritis.

METHODS: the study group consisted of 15 men and 6 women (mean age 39.2 years). All had undergone Billroth II subtotal gastrectomy (20 for ulcer and 1 for gastric cancer). Alkaline diversion was done with the Roux-en-Y technique 50-60 cm away from the gastrojejunal anastomosis. In all patients bilateral truncal vagotomy at the hiatus was also done. No mechanical alterations in the gastrojejunal anastomosis were found during surgery. Mean follow-up period was 8.2 years (range 6.5-10.7 years), during which clinical, radiological and endoscopic studies were obtained. Gammagraphic study of gastric remnant emptying was done on postoperative day 30.

RESULTS: none of the patients had clinical, radiological or endoscopic manifestations that indicated the presence of Roux-en-Y syndrome. Gammagraphic studies of gastric remnant emptying did not demonstrate significant differences between preoperative (T1/2: 7.3 min) and postoperative values (T1/2: 10.1 min).

CONCLUSIONS: we found no evidence of disturbances in gastric remnant emptying after Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy to treat postoperative alkaline gastric reflux.