J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 60(6): 917-929, 1959

---

THE RELATION BETWEEN FAT ABSORPTION AND FUNCTIONAL ADAPTATION OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT FOLLOWING GASTRECTOMY

By using I¹³¹ labeled fat as well as Hozaka's fat-barium-meals, studies were made in chronological sequence on the relation between fat absorption and functional adaptation of the gastrointestinal tract in 71 patients who had undergone gastrectomy for benign diseases of the stomach, including stomach and duodenal ulcer. The results are summarized as follows :
1) There was severe disturbance of fat absorption immediately after gastrectomy. Many patients showed improvements with the passing of time, but some were still associated with impairment of fat absorption 6 months after operation.
2) Viewed from the standpoint of fat absorption following operation, procedure B I. was superior to procedure B II., in that the former involves little disturbance of physiological function of the gastrointestinal tract.
3) Stenosis occurring at anatomosed portions immediately after operation caused, though temporary, impairment of fat absorption of high degree.
4) There was a correlation between fat absorptive function and morphologic adaptation of the gastrointestinal tract following operation.
5) Considering that the fat absorptive function of the gastrointestinal tract may be disturbed by gastrectomy, the decision as to whether or not gastrectomy is indicated should be made more cautiously than is now usually the case.
6) If a patient is to maintain high level of fat absorption following operation, procedure B I. will be preferable to procedure B II. Special attention should be paid to the way in which anastomosis is formed.
(author's abstract)

---

---

To read the PDF file you will need Adobe Reader installed on your computer.