Published online Sep 15, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.iSuppl1.165
Revised: March 21, 1996
Accepted: August 19, 1996
Published online: September 15, 1996
AIM: Symptoms such as early satiety, abdominal distention and irregular abdominal pain are the common complaints from the post cholecystectomy patients. The symptoms are similar to those caused by motility abnormality. In order to understand the influence of cholecystectomy on gastric motor function, we observed the gastric emptying in 32 pts who underwent cholecystectomy 6 mo ago by means of real time ultrasonography.
METHODS: 32 post-cholecystectomy pts with no alimentary tract organic diseases or general diseases, M/F = 7/25, age group: 30-72.10 volunteers, healthy. All the examines stopped taking drugs which influence motility for 2 d, fasted for 12 h before examination. When examined, the individual drank 500 mL warm milk within 3 min in erect position, them received the ultrasonic detection (3.5 MHz probe HDI 3000 Doppler’s ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus) to visualize the gastric wall and cavity. Using the vernier, the fundus, corpus and antrum were outlined to work out cross areas. The same procedure was repeated 30 min and 60 min after milk drinking, respectively. Then the emptying rate was worked out emptying rate = [(initial cross area tested cross area)/initial cross area] × 100%. Pts with early satiety, abdominal dissension and irregular abdominal pain took 5 mg Cisapride and 3 multi enzyme tablets, 3 times a day for 2 wk and then received the above procedure.
RESULTS: The gastric emptying in post cholecystectomy pts delayed as compared with the normal individuals. Fundus emptying delay occurred late and antrum emptying rate decreased significantly. After medication, the emptying rate and symptoms in 12 pts were improved to possible cause of alimentary tract symptoms in post cholecystectomy pts and that ultrasonic gastric emptying determination in noninvasive and convenient, especially the cross section method is accurate, simple and easy to perform.