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PubMed1973

Vagotomy or gastrectomy for gastric ulcer.

Patients treated in a randomized controlled comparison of management of benign gastric ulcer of the body of the stomach, comprising 50 patients treated by Billroth I partial gastrectomy and 50 patients treated by vagotomy and pyloroplasty and biopsy of the ulcer, were followed up for about five years (range one and a half to eight and a half years). No statistically significant difference has been found between the functional results (Visick grading) of the two groups. There was no operative mortality. Postoperative morbidity (17 against 5) and length of stay in hospital (14 against 10 days) were significantly greater after gastrectomy. Seven patients after vagotomy have been submitted to gastrectomy (three for recurrent gastric ulceration, three for gastric cancer, and one for bleeding), which is a statistically significant excess compared with no reoperation after gastrectomy. While vagotomy and pyloroplasty can be useful to avoid a technically difficult gastrectomy, it cannot be said to replace partial gastrectomy in the treatment of gastric ulcer.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1982

Bile acid and lysolecithin concentrations in the stomach in patients with duodenal ulcer before operation and after treatment by highly selective vagotomy, partial gastrectomy, or truncal vagotomy and drainage.

Duodenogastric reflux of bile acids and lysolecithin in the course of a standard test meal was measured in normal people and in patients with duodenal ulcer before operation and more than one year after highly selective vagotomy, Polya partial gastrectomy, truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty, and truncal vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy. Before operation, duodenal ulcer patients had significantly higher fasting, post-prandial, and peak bile acid concentrations in the stomach than had normal subjects. After Polya partial gastrectomy, fasting, post-prandial, and peak concentrations of bile acids and lysolecithin were significantly higher than in preoperative duodenal ulcer patients. After highly selective vagotomy, in contrast, bile acid concentrations in the stomach were significantly lower than in preoperative duodenal ulcer patients and post-prandial and peak lysolecithin concentrations were less than half (NS) those recorded in preoperative duodenal ulcer patients. After highly selective vagotomy, bile acid concentrations were also significantly lower than bile acid concentrations after Polya partial gastrectomy, truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty, and truncal vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy; and post-prandial and peak lysolecithin concentrations were significantly lower than after Polya partial gastrectomy and truncal vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy. Thus, when used in the treatment of patients with duodenal ulcer, highly selective vagotomy keeps ;bile' out of the stomach, probably through its effect on gastric smooth muscle, combined with the preservation of an intact antropyloroduodenal segment. In contrast, Polya partial gastrectomy, truncal vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy, and truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty all lead to a significant increase in reflux of bile acids and lysolecithin into the stomach. The clinical importance of these findings is that both gastritis and, in the long term, gastric carcinoma may prove to be less common after highly selective vagotomy than after partial gastrectomy or vagotomy with a drainage procedure.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Extensive intestinal metaplasia in gastric carcinoma and in other lesions requiring surgery: a study of 3,421 gastrectomy specimens from dwellers of the Atlantic and Pacific basins.

BACKGROUND: Extensive intestinal metaplasia (EIM) has been reported in gastrectomies from patients dwelling in the Pacific and Atlantic basins. AIMS: To compare all the results in an attempt to explain the findings. METHOD: All sections from 3,421 gastrectomies were reviewed at various hospitals: 1946 in the Atlantic and 1475 in the Pacific basin. Sections with EIM showed IM encompassing one or more entire low power field (>or=5 mm in length/section) in one or more section. RESULTS: In the Atlantic basin, EIM was present in 18.8% (153 of 814) of specimens with intestinal carcinoma (IC) and in 10.3% (65 of 630) of those with diffuse carcinoma (DC). In the Pacific basin, EIM was found in 62.9% (412 of 655) of gastrectomies with IC and in 33.3% (160 of 481) of those with DC. The numbers of specimens with EIM were significantly higher in the Pacific than in the Atlantic basin for both carcinoma phenotypes, particularly among elderly patients (>or=60 years). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of gastrectomies with EIM was higher among populations at a higher gastric cancer risk than in those with a lower cancer risk. EIM was mostly associated with IC rather than DC or with miscellaneous gastric diseases (841 control gastrectomies) in both basins. The proportion of gastrectomies with EIM was significantly higher in Vancouver than in New York and in Santiago de Chile than in Buenos Aires, even though these populations reside at approximately the same geographical latitude, but in different basins. Environmental factors seem to accelerate the evolution of EIM.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

Is D2 lymphadenectomy in gastrectomy safe with regard to the skill of the operator?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: D2 gastrectomy has been regarded as an inconvenient procedure with high morbidity and no survival benefit in the West. Recent western studies, however, especially from specialist centers, have shown a survival benefit and the safety of D2 gastrectomy. The aim of this study is to clarify the safety of D2 gastrectomy (defined by the Japanese Research Society for the Study of Gastric Cancer), even if carried out by a junior surgeon, and to show that it is not a particularly difficult or special procedure. METHODS: Patients who underwent a typical distal gastrectomy (DG) with D2 resection (n = 344) and total gastrectomy (TG) with D2 resection (n = 111) were analyzed. The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the postgraduate year of the operator (group I = the surgeon's postgraduate experience was less than 5 years; group II = surgeons with more than 5 years and less than 10 years postgraduate experience; group III = surgeons with more than 10 years postgraduate experience). The rate of postoperative complications and the 5-year survival rate were compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS: The overall operative mortality rate, hospital death rate and the overall rate of postoperative complications were 1.2, 2.0 and 10.2% in DG patients, and 14.4, 0 and 1.8% in TG patients, respectively. There was no significant difference in the operative blood loss, the rate of operative mortality, hospital death rate and postoperative complications among the 3 groups. There was no significant difference in the 5-year survival rate among the 3 groups in each stage. CONCLUSION: The postoperative mortality rate, morbidity rate and 5-year survival rate after a typical D2 gastrectomy were independent of the experience of the operator. It is considered to be a safe and useful procedure in view of the rate of postoperative complications and the long-term survival rate, even if performed by a junior trainee under the supervision of experienced surgeons in a nonspecialized hospital.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[An experimental study on the remnant gastric motilities and gastrointestinal hormones after various types of gastrectomies].

Using adult mongrel dogs, remnant gastric motility in relation to the changes of gastrointestinal hormone (gastrin and motilin) levels were measured under conscious states before and after distal partial gastrectomy in the Billroth I (BI) or II (BII) reconstruction and proximal partial gastrectomy with or without pyloroplasty. Remnant gastric motility was studied during the digestive and interdigestive states by chronically implanted strain gage transducer (S.G.T.) along the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal hormone levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. Results were summarized as follows: 1. Remnant gastric motility after BI was different from BII, that is, digestive patterns after BII were more shorter than BI, as a result, gastric emptying times were shortened. 2. Gastrin release by the meal intake in the dogs with BI was greater than that in BII. On the other hand, motilin release in the dogs with BII was higher level than that in BI during the digestive and interdigestive states. Gastrointestinal hormone levels after BI were approximately as same responses as controls. These findings suggested that BI reconstruction for distal partial gastrectomy was more physiological surgical procedure than BII reconstruction. 3. Remnant gastric motility during the digestive state after proximal gastrectomy showed the excitatory pattern and gastric emptying time was remarkably shortened than in controls. 4. In gastrin and motilin levels stimulated by the meal in the dogs with proximal gastrectomy, the peak of gastrin and the depression of motilin were observed more early in relation to remnant gastric emptying time. These findings suggested that the pyloroplasty for the proximal gastrectomy was necessary to prevent an increased motility of the remnant stomach during the digestive states.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[Nutritional status and dietary assessment of patients with gastrectomy].

BACKGROUND: Nutrition is a crucial factor in gastric resection surgery and the most suitable alimentary canal reconstruction method must be considered in order to reduce the risk of malnutrition. The cause of postgastrectomy malnutrition has not been clearly determined, but the mechanisms behind malnutrition are evidently multifactorial. AIM: To evaluate the nutritional status of patients who underwent different reconstructive procedures after total or subtotal gastrectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty patients who have undergone gastrectomy for 0.5-39 years were assessed. The surgical procedures used were Billroth I in 7, Billroth II in 26, Henley in 3 and Roux-en-Y in 14 of the patients. Twenty one of them have followed gastrectomy for cancer. The nutritional status was evaluated by subjective global assessment, dietary recall and anthropometry. RESULTS: According to subjective global assessment, 6 of 50 patients were mild malnourished. The mean body mass index was 22 4.75 kg/m2, the average daily calorie intake was 1624 477 Kcal. Of the patients operated for cancer, those who underwent subtotal gastrectomy followed by Roux-en-Y presented higher body mass index. No relationship between the period of time since surgery with body mass index or with calorie intake was found. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients operated for cancer, subtotal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction is associated with better nutritional status. Factors other than low calorie intake are the cause of weight loss in patients with gastrectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Vector autoregressive modeling analysis of frequently sampled oral glucose tolerance test results. 2. Insulin resistance and secretion after gastrectomy.

Using the method of vector autoregressive modeling (VAR) analysis of frequently sampled oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results, we evaluated abnormalities in the feedback relationships between plasma glucose and insulin in gastrectomized patients to assess insulin secretion capacity and insulin resistance following gastrectomy. VAR modeling analysis was applied to the plasma glucose and insulin level data from the frequently-sampled 75g-OGTT results of 38 subjects who had undergone total or subtotal gastrectomy and 977 controls without gastrectomy. After gastrectomy, the predicted response of insulin to a glucose challenge was excessive in normal subjects and those with slightly impaired glucose tolerance. Furthermore, the glucose response to insulin was clearly positive in gastrectomized subjects with moderately to severely impaired glucose tolerance, i.e., diabetics, indicating strong insulin resistance. The insulin resistance in this situation cannot be explained by decreased peripheral glucose disposal. Our results suggest that the lowered glucose tolerance which follows gastrectomy results from disturbance of the hormonal relationship between pancreas and intestine (entero-insular axis), which causes increased intestinal glucose absorption, and the insulin resistance which occurs in response to hyperinsulinemia in patients with normal fasting plasma glucose. Disturbance of the entero-insular axis may cause not only increased glucose absorption but also hyperglucagonemia, both of which contribute to hyperglycemia in diabetic patients after gastrectomy.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1989

Total gastrectomy and small intestinal cholesterol synthesis in diabetic rats.

Cholesterol synthesis is increased two- to threefold in the small intestine of diabetic rats. We have observed, in three separate experiments, that the characteristic increase in small intestinal cholesterol synthesis (SICS) in diabetic rats was prevented by total gastrectomy. Food intake was increased twofold, and the small intestine hypertrophied in the gastrectomized diabetic animals. In normal animals, total gastrectomy resulted in only a very small increase in intestinal cholesterol synthesis. In hyperphagic lactating animals, total gastrectomy did not prevent the characteristic increase in SICS that is usually observed in this hyperphagic model. These results indicate that the effects of total gastrectomy on preventing an increase in SICS are relatively specific for the diabetic state. The mechanism by which total gastrectomy prevents the increase in intestinal cholesterol synthesis in diabetic animals is unknown. Vagotomy did not prevent the typical increase in intestinal synthesis in diabetic animals. Additionally, selectively removing either the antrum or fundus of the stomach did not prevent the increase in SICS in diabetic animals, indicating that the inhibition requires the removal of the entire stomach. It can be speculated that the stomach produces a substance that induces the increase in SICS observed in diabetic animals and that total gastrectomy removes this stimulatory substance.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Gastrectomy causes bone loss in the rat: is lack of gastric acid responsible?

Total gastrectomy or resection of the acid-producing part of the stomach (fundectomy) in the rat induced a marked and rapid reduction in bone wet weight, ash weight, and density (expressed as ash weight in mg/mm3 bone). Bone volumes were also affected but not as much. The radius, sternum, tibia, and femur were studied. Three weeks after gastrectomy the bone ash weight was reduced by almost 30% and the density by more than 25%. Maximum bone loss (approximately 40%) occurred about 6 weeks after the operation. The bone loss after gastrectomy was somewhat greater than that after fundectomy, whereas antrectomy had a marginal effect only. The percentage trabecular bone volume, calculated from morphometric analysis of histologic sections of the tibia, was greatly reduced by gastrectomy (approximately 50%), somewhat less so by fundectomy, whereas antrectomy had little effect. We set out to study whether calcium malabsorption could explain the bone loss after gastrectomy. Gastric acid is thought to facilitate the intestinal absorption of ingested calcium by mobilizing calcium from insoluble complexes in the diet. The possibility that lack of acid might contribute to the bone loss after gastrectomy was examined in experiments in which the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole was given for 4-8 weeks at such a dose (400 mumol/kg/day) that acid secretion was blocked almost completely during the period of study. This treatment was without effect on bone. However, the possibility could not be excluded that gastrectomized rats develop calcium deficiency for some reason other than lack of acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Osteoporosis after total gastrectomy. Results of a prospective, clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Osteopenia and enhanced risk of fractures have been reported after partial gastrectomy, but the significance of total gastrectomy is still unknown. METHODS: Twenty-six patients were followed up for at least 3 years after total gastrectomy. The intake and S-levels of vitamin D, phosphate, magnesium, and calcium were prospectively studied, and a whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan was performed at a mean of 5 years after gastrectomy. RESULTS: At this time point we found normal blood levels of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphate. Food intakes of phosphate, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D reached the recommended daily allowances. Bone mineral density was similar to that of a control population, and increasing values were seen concomitant with an increase in body weight with the time after gastrectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Calcium homeostasis and bone mineral densities seem not to be affected by total gastrectomy, at least when studied over a period of 5 years, an observation that hypothetically can be explained by weight recovery with time after the operation.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

[Partial versus total gastrectomy in the surgical treatment of stomach cancer].

The authors discuss some aspects of radical gastrectomy. They analyse whether there is any progress in their results in the treatment of stomach cancer in the past 5 years. They describe some aspects of total gastrectomy with regards to the need for splenectomy. During 36 years (01.07.1952-30.06.1962 and 1974-1999) 1614 patients were treated for stomach cancer. In the last two 5 year long periods (1990-1994 and 1995-1999) the number of radical operations was 106 and 114. In the second period we used laparoscopic exploration in some patients. We carried out total gastrectomies with modern suturing devices (AutoSuture Premium Plus CEEA, Proximate ILS Straight Intraluminal Stapler Endo Surgery, TA Premium) without compromising the principles of radicality using Rochard-Aesculap retractor in most patients. We tried to avoid splenectomy when possible. In the past 5 years we carried out lymphadenectomy according to the Japanese classification, excising group I and II lymph nodes. The resectability rate rose in the last 6 years compared to the previous ten year period (55.3%, 36.1%, 48.4%, 64.3%). The ratio of total gastrectomies increased from 8.6% (10 out of 106 resections) to 42.9% (49 out of 114 resections) in the two 5 year periods. Mortality for partial and total gastrectomy were 4.6% (65/3) and 6.1% (49/3). They could preserve the spleen in 32.6% of the cases. We found that laparoscopic exploration rarely influenced the operation. Partial resection in intestinal type stomach cancer should be performed, if a margin of 6 cm can be achieved. If the patient is in good general health, total gastrectomy should be performed unless the size, type and lymph node involvement of the cancer indicated otherwise. We think that increased resectability is related to both increased capabilities and better diagnostic tools. It is important to preserve the spleen where oncology principals allow.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric remnant cancer after gastrectomy].

Patients who have undergone distal gastrectomy for peptic ulcer are at higher risk of developing gastric remnant cancer, and chronic bile reflux is believed to increase the risk of cancer in remnant stomach. In remnant stomach, carcinogenesis may be prevented by selecting the anastomosis method with a few reflux of intestinal juice including a bile acid. How Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection participate in stomal gastritis and gastric remnant cancer, same as early gastric cancer in the intact stomach, is attended. H. pylori positive rate of remnant stomach is different by examination method and a report, but its rate is decreased every year after gastrectomy and in particular low in Billroth-II(B-II) anastomosis. B-II anastomosis is followed by a significantly lower rate than B-1. This may reflect the role of bile reflux because bile reflux interferes with colonization by H. pylori. Gastric cancer excision usual increase complicates gastric remnant stomach and H. pylori infection, but while H. pylori infection lasts after gastrectomy for gastric cancer, cell proliferation increase in remnant stomach. In remnant stomach after gastrectomy for gastric cancer, while H. pylori infection continues, H. pylori infection may cause remnant gastritis and a second cancer of remnant stomach. H. pylori infection and bile reflux seem to have a synergistic effect on cell proliferation in remnant stomach and may explain the increased risk of gastric remnant cancer. The cancer-causing dominant role might changed from H. pylori infection predominance to bile reflux every year after gastrectomy. Furthermore, a prophylactic effect to carcinogenesis by H. pylori eradication therapy is expected. Eradication of H. pylori after gastrectomy for gastric cancer has been recommended.

Gastrectomy↗
PubMed2002

[Effect of extending the resection on postoperative complications of total gastrectomies: experience with 161 operations].

Authors operated on 416 patients for gastric cancer between 1st of June 1991 and 31st of May 2001. Among them 305 lesions were resectable. So the resection rate was 73.3 per cent. Gastrectomy was performed in 161 patients (52.8 per cent of resections). Total gastrectomy with omentectomy was performed in 44 patients. In 96 patients splenectomy, in 19 patients splenectomy with the resection of the left side of the pancreas, in 33 patients distal esophageal resection and in 8 patients other organ resection was performed with total gastrectomy. Standard, two field lymphadenectomy has been performed only in the past few years. Uneventful recovery followed in 100 cases (62 per cent), 61 patients (38 per cent) suffered complications in the postoperative period. The most frequent surgical complication was anastomotic leak, which was observed in 8 patients (5 per cent). Septic complications, intraluminal bleeding, postoperative pancreatitis, intraabdominal bleeding, pancreatic fistula and small bowel obstruction were the most frequent surgical complications. Most general complications occurred in the cardiorespiratory system. In 9 patients reoperation was necessary. Eight patients (5 per cent) died in the postoperative period. In patients with extended gastrectomy significantly more complications occurred--compared with gastrectomy + omentectomy only. This could also be observed in patients with only splenectomy. If more organs were removed or resected with total gastrectomy and splenectomy, the complication rate increased only if pancreatic resection was performed. Mortality rate increased in these patients as well. The esophageal or other neighbouring organ (colon, small-bowel, liver, diaphragm etc.) resection had no influence on the postoperative morbidity or mortality. Extended operations should be performed, as the risk is acceptable, if there is hope for tumour clearance.

Female↗
PubMed1992

[Surgical treatment of esophageal cancer in post-subtotal gastrectomy patients].

Among the 1285 cases of esophageal cancer operated in our hospital during the interval 1985-1990, 11 had had subtotal gastrectomy earlier, with an incidence of 0.86%. Among these 11 cases, two had upper thoracic segment lesions which were resected and reconstructed by transverse and descending colon transplantation into the neck. Right postero-lateral thoracotomy, upper abdominal and left neck incisions were used. Nine patients had esophageal cancer in the middle and lower thoracic segment and 7 of them were operated by transplanting the remaining stomach with spleen and caudal portion of pancreas into the left thorax and esophago-gastrectomy with the remaining stomach. Exploratory thoracotomy only was done in the other 2 patients. No complication occurred. Billroth type II gastrectomy was found to be easier than Billroth type I to move the remaining stomach together with the spleen and pancreas up into the thorax and to anastomose supra-aortically. There was no direct cause-effect evidence between gastrectomy and the site of esophageal cancer. The purpose for gastrectomy (ulcer or cancer) and the type of gastrectomy (Billroth type I or II) were irrelevant to the subsequent development of esophageal cancer.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gastrectomy for advanced gastric carcinoma with invasion to the serosa.

A review of gastrectomy for 332 patients who had advanced gastric cancer with serosal exposed (S2) or adjacent organs invaded (S3) was made. Simple gastrectomy (SG) was carried out in 144 patients while radical gastrectomy (RG), which consisted of systemic lymphadenectomy in addition to SG, was used for the other 188 patients. The type of gastrectomy was chosen arbitrarily by the surgeons except that SG was usually selected when some non-curable factors were present. The operative mortality of SG was 2.7% and that of RG was 3.2%. More lymphnodes could be obtained by RG. Of the 152 patients with S2 who received RG, 46.7% of metastatic lymphnodes could not be identified by SG, while of the 36 patients with S3, 75% of metastatic nodes would be misjudged if SG was carried out. The 5-year-survival rate of RG for stage 3 patients was 42.4% and that for stage 4 patients was 28.2%. Better postoperative long-term-survival was achieved by RG than SG in both stage 3 and 4 patients. When considering the curability of the gastrectomy, the best outcome in stage 3 patients was found in those who underwent an absolute curative resection. Of the stage 4 patients those who received an absolute non-curative resection had the worst result. We recommend that RG be the procedure of choice in treatment of serosal gastric cancer in the absence of non-curable factors. Other adjuvant therapies may be considered after an absolute non-curative gastrectomy in stage 4 serosal cancer patients when multiple non-curable factors were present.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Contractile function of the gallbladder after gastrectomy].

Gallbladder contractile function was observed by B-mode ultrasonography on patients with radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma (20 cases), with subtotal gastrectomy for peptic ulcer (36 cases), and with highly selective vagotomy (7 cases). Thirty-one preoperative patients with peptic ulcer were used as control. It was found that within one month after radical or subtotal gastrectomy the average area and the volume of the gallbladder became much larger than that found in control group. The empty rate of the gallbladder was found decreased and the remainder bile increased. Early stage gallstones were found in two cases 11 and 13 months after gastrectomy. The inner diameter of the common bile duct was increased after radical gastrectomy. No definite relationship was found between gallbladder contractile disfunction and the mode of gastroenterostomy. It was also found that highly selective vagotomy had only slight influence on the biliary tract. These results suggest that gastrectomy has significant influence on the function of biliary tract and plays an important role in the formation of gallstones.

Cholelithiasis↗
PubMed1989

Surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma: a retrospective analysis with special regard to the value of total gastrectomy as the operation of choice.

The surgical treatment of gastric carcinoma has been under discussion for many years with regard to the extent of surgical radicality, particularly in terms of total gastrectomy as the operation of choice. The main arguments against this procedure were high postoperative morbidity and mortality as well as poor long-term results, but objective data are not available at this time. Between 1968 and 1987, 1135 resections for gastric carcinomas were performed (714 total, 313 distal subtotal and 108 proximal gastrectomies). During different time periods the incidence of total gastrectomies as a proportion of all resections increased up to 81%. With increased experience the postoperative mortality following total gastrectomy fell to 2%. In this retrospective study no significant differences in the 5-year survival rates between distal subtotal and total gastrectomies could be obtained. However, exact definitions of histopathological features as well as data of epidemiological studies are able to describe more accurately the number of subtotal and total gastrectomies. These characteristics serve as a first step for prospective trials to define the extent of surgical radicality necessary from the oncological point of view with the aim of improving the long-term prognosis of patients with gastric carcinoma individually.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1987

[Bone disorder in long-term survival after gastrectomy with reference to bone mineral content].

To investigate post-gastrectomy metabolic bone disorder, the radial bone mineral content (BMC) was measured with 125I-photon absorptiometry in 131 long-term survivors, the postoperative periods ranged 3 to 30 years. Sixty-eight patients (52 per cent) showed abnormally low BMC levels compared with healthy controls. The 43 patients with total gastrectomy manifested a higher incidence of decreased BMC levels than did the other 88 patients with partial gastrectomy. In females, patients subjected to the Billroth II procedure manifested low BMC values. The extent of the decline in BMC was much higher in females than in males, and higher in totally gastrectomized patients than in partial gastrectomy group. At more than 10 years postoperatively many patients manifested markedly low BMC levels; in totally gastrectomized patients this finding was made at less than 5 years postoperatively. A significant correlation was found between the extent of the decreased BMC levels and the postoperative periods. Of the patients with decreased BMC values, 30 per cent of them gave histories of osseous symptom after gastrectomy, however, 70 per cent of patients were asymptomatic. Based on the results, in long-term survival treated by total or partial gastrectomy, many patients present an osteopenic status, however, the number of those with clinically manifested bone disease such as osteomalacia may be low.

Age Factors↗