THE EFFECT OF ROUX-EN-Y DIVERSION ON GASTRIC AND ROUX-LIMB EMPTYING IN A RODENT MODEL

BACKGROUND: The ''Roux stasis syndrome'' is characterized by symptoms of upper gut stasis following Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy (RG), Whether symptoms result from delayed gastric emptying, altered Roux-limb transit, or both has never been settled, partly because of the difficulty of measuring Roux-limb transit, The aim of this study was to develop a model to simultaneously quantitate Roux-limb transit and gastric emptying. METHODS: Rats underwent vagotomy and antrectomy with RG or Billroth II reconstruction (B-II). Gastrointestinal transit of a solid meal (Technetium-99m sulfur colloid-labelled egg white) was assessed 0.5, 1, and 1.5 hours postprandial (pp). Transit of a liquid marker (Na-51-CrO4 injected through an efferent-limb catheter) was measured at 25 minutes pp. RESULTS: Solid gastric emptying was slower in RG than in B-IT rats at 60 and 90 minutes pp. More of the solid meal and of the liquid marker was retained in the Roux limb than the efferent limb of the B-II at all time points (P <0.05), CONCLUSIONS: In a rodent model, Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy is associated with delayed gastric emptying and slowed efferent-limb transit of solids and liquids.