Nutritional consequences of total gastrectomy

The early diagnosis of gastrinoma

Despite the increasing awareness of gastrinoma and its lethal peptic ulcer sequelae, the diagnosis is often initially missed or made as a terminal event. The authors screened all patients with peptic ulcer symptoms serious enough to warrant hospital admission or those associated with diarrhea, nephrolithiasis, hypercalcemia, or pituitary abnormality. In a one-year period (1979-1980) nine (of 14 suspected) new gastrinoma patients were identified using a sensitive and specific gastrin radioimmunoassay in combination with provocative tests including IV secretin, calcium, and food. Conventional upper GI series, CAT scan, arteriography, and endoscopy provided no additional information other than to confirm the presence of ulcer disease. Basal plasma gastrin levels were more than 200 pmol L-1 in only three of the nine (normal fasting plasma gastrin levels are less than 25 pmol L-1). Three patients presented with acute ulcer perforation, and the diagnosis of gastrinoma was suspected because of multiple ulcers and pancreatic masses. In three other patients, previous duodenal ulcer surgery had failed. One patient with dyspepsia, high basal plasma gastrin, negative secretin and calcium infusion studies, and a positive meal test was diagnosed as having G-cell hyperplasia; this was confirmed by biopsy and antral gastrin extraction. Antrectomy alone resulted in cure. In all patients tested, a positive calcium infusion or secretin bolus (greater than 100% rise over basal) strongly suggested the diagnosis of gastrinoma, which was confirmed at surgery. In the acute perforations, initial management with omental patch and cimetidine therapy allowed survival of two patients, while emergency total gastrectomy in the third resulted in death due to esophagojejunal leak. Elective patients were treated with cimetidine initially for at least two weeks before total gastrectomy. In this group there were no operative mortalities, and postoperative morbidity was minimal. This series illustrates three important points: (1) careful screening of an ulcer population using gastrin radioimmunoassay and provocative tests has enabled a high yield of gastrinomas while conventional investigations are of minimal values; (2) a high index of suspicion in appropriate cases is necessary; and (3) total gastrectomy performed under elective circumstances is safe and allows the patients to resume a normal and healthy life without the sequelae of aggressive peptic ulceration or daily drug administration.

Bile acid composition and esophagitis after total gastrectomy

Ten patients who had undergone total or subtotal gastrectomy for carcinoma 1 to 8 years earlier were evaluated in terms of subjective symptoms, endoscopy and the presence of bile in esophagojejunal aspirates obtained by direct aspiration during endoscopy. The concentrations of individual bile acids were determined by means of gas chromatography. Six of the patients had macroscopic esophagitis and all of them also had bile in their aspirate. The remaining four patients with normal esophageal mucosa did not have positive specimens. Neither did the total bile acid concentration nor any of the individual bile acids, regardless of whether they were free or conjugated, correlate with the severity of symptoms or the degree of endoscopic esophagitis. Esophagitis healed in all three patients who underwent conversion of loop esophagojejunostomy to a long Roux-Y reconstruction.

Total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma: a retrospective study of different procedures and assessment of a new technique of gastric reconstruction

A retrospective study of the value of reconstructive surgery after total gastrectomy of gastric carcinoma in 118 patients who underwent different types of reconstructive procedures is presented. Dissatisfaction with established methods of reconstruction led to the development of a new technique. The new method was associated with less regurgitation, less dumping and functioned as a reservoir without undue delay in emptying time. It was associated with an improved quality of life in the postoperative period, with minimal dumping symptoms, maintenance of weight and the ability to return to work. The mortality and morbidity of the new method are acceptable and it thus offers not only an improved reconstructive procedure for total gastrectomy after resection for gastric cancer, but offers potential for reconstructive surgery after total gastrectomy carried out for other reasons.

A review of the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome--with particular reference to a patient treated with cimetidine

A case of the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, presented with watery diarrhoea, malabsorption and multiple duodenal ulcers. Resection of a gastrinoma from the head of the pancreas was ineffective. Cimetidine, administered for more than 30 months produced an immediate and sustained relief of symptoms with a gain in weight of 19 kg and improvement of the biochemical features of malabsorption. Gastric acid secretion has been markedly inhibited and duodenal ulceration healed.

Effects of cancer on nutrition: impaired organ system effects

The specific organ system effects of cancer and its treatment have been reviewed from the standpoint of nutritional impact. Nutritional impairment may occur as the result of specific organ system malfunction, and malnutrition itself may impair organ system functions in such a way as to compound these deficits. Nonmalignant, acute, and chronic illnesses resemble cancer in many ways, particularly in their ability to produce malnutrition and these organ system malfunctions. It is apparent that there is nothing particularly unique about many of these cancer states, from the standpoint of nutritional deficiency, that is not found in nonneoplastic conditions.

rho-Shaped anastomosis: a reconstruction of the alimentary tract after total gastrectomy

One hundred sixty-four patients underwent total gastrectomy with a rho-shaped jejunal food pouch (rho loop) and roux-en-Y jejunojejunostomy. The rate of postoperative complications was very low (9.1 per cent), and the most important problem of anastomotic failure was never encountered. Only 4 of 164 patients (2.4 per cent) died within one month of surgery, and the causes of death were pneumonia (2 patients), cerebral hemorrhage (1), and ileus (1). The function of the newly constructed passage was estimated through an elaborate barium meal examination. The test revealed that the rho-shaped jejunal food pouch has adequate reservoir and mixing functions for ingested foodstuff. No reflux of barium meal into the esophagus was observed during the examination. In a follow-up study of the patients, only a few complained of symptoms of reflux esophagitis or dumping, but none of them needed any treatment.

Total gastrectomy

Total gastrectomy is indicated principally for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and for potentially curable gastric cancer. The diagnosis of cancer should be verified by biopsy before the resection is performed, and the margins of resection should usually be examined by frozen section. Of the various reconstructions, Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy gave the best long-term results.