Manometric evaluation of jejunal limb after total gastrectomy and Roux-Orr anastomosis for gastric cancer.

Total gastrectomy with Roux-Orr anastomosis is frequently performed for gastric cancer. Since intestinal motility of the Roux limb has never been evaluated after this operation, pressure activity was investigated in the Roux limb of ten patients (aged 51-77 years) who had undergone total gastrectomy and Roux-Orr reconstruction. Investigations were carried out during a 6-h fast and 3 h after a 605 kcal mixed meal. During fasting only two patients had activity fronts and these were abnormal. All ten patients displayed non-propagating bursts of contractions and three had discrete clustered contractions and high amplitude jejunal contractions. The fed state was characterized by a severely reduced motor activity pattern and other abnormalities. Total gastrectomy with Roux-Orr anastomoses provokes a relatively severe disturbance in intestinal activity.