The Gastroduodenal Channel after Pyloroplasty and Vagotomy: A Cineradiographic Study

Abstract

Cineradiography was performed in 21 patients who had been subjected to pyloroplasty and vagotomy for duodenal ulcer. This is the method of choice for studying the postoperative dynamics and morphology of the gastroduodenal region. In 11 patients the gastroduodenal configuration was typical of a successful pyloroplasty. There was a gaping, asphincteric gastroduodenal channel whose lumen was delineated by broad tissue ridges, constant in length and orientation. Just distal to these ridges and especially prominent along the greater curvature were long-necked pseudodiverticula perpendicular to the lumen of the gastroduodenal channel. None of these patients showed evidence of gastric retention. In 4 cases an unsuccessful pyloroplasty was noted without characteristic deformities. No patulous gastroduodenal channel, ridges, or pseudodiverticular were disclosed, and in all patients there were signs of gastric retention. Cineradiography readily distinguishes postoperative duodenal deformities and pseudodiverticula from active duodenal ulcers.