J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 58(8): 1191-1204, 1957

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AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF THE LOSS OF FOOD-RESERVING FUNCTION OF THE STOMACH ON DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION OF FOOD

After the stomach was cut off from the esophagus at the lower end of the latter, esophagojejunostomy was performed, so that the stomach was left unremoved, with all or a part of its function for secretion of hydrochloric acid and other constituents of the stomach juice, and so that only the reserving function and rhythmical discharge of its contents into the intestine disappeared, and the consequent changes produced in the absorption of carbohydrate and amino acids and in the behavior of the intestinal flora were kept under observation. The following were the results obtained.
1. Carbohydrate and amino acids taken into the intestine in large quantities caused marked hyperglycemia and hyperaminoacidemia in dogs with the total gastric pouch mentioned above. If, on the contrary, carbohydrate and amino acids were ingesed direct into the gastric pouch of the same dogs, no hyperglycemia or hyperaminoacidemia was seen.
2. Carbohydrate and amino acids given per-orally in solution in the subtotally gastrectomized dogs entered the intestine immediately, giving rise to hyperglycemia and hyperaminoacidemia, but solid food, such as boiled rice and beef, given, was retained in the remaining part of the stomach, causing neither hyperglyc mia nor hyperaminoacidemia.
3. In dogs with the total gastric pouch the secreting function of the remaining stomach kept the hydrogen ion concentration in the intestine on the acid side, the upward movement of B. coli into the upper small intestine and their marked proliferation in all parts of intestine were prevented, and B. acidophilus was left alive everywhere in the entire intestinal canal, in dogs subjected to subtotal gastrectomy B. coli was found ascending towards the upper small intestine to proliferate in all parts of the intestine, though in smaller numbers than after total gastrectomy, the pH in the intestine was on the acid side, and B. acidophilus was found in all parts of the intestinal canal.
The foregoing findings demonstrate that the changes produced after total gastrectomy in the metabolism of sugar and amino acid and in the intestinal flora are intimately related to the absence of gastsic function.
(author's abstract)

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