Somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 (octreotide) as a possible solution to the dumping syndrome after gastrectomy or vagotomy.

The dumping syndrome, which may follow partial gastrectomy or truncal vagotomy and drainage, may be refractory to treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the somatostatin analogue, SMS 201-995 (octreotide), on dumping provoked by hypertonic glucose. Ten patients with symptoms and signs of dumping were studied. After a dumping provocation test with placebo, all patients developed severe symptoms: seven patients had early dumping, two had both early and late dumping and one had late dumping alone. With either 50 or 100 micrograms SMS 201-995, the symptoms of early dumping were much reduced in all patients, and those of late dumping were completely abolished. The packed cell volume, pulse and systolic blood pressure changes of early dumping were significantly reduced by SMS 201-995 and the fall in blood glucose in patients with late dumping was abolished. SMS 201-995 may be a useful treatment for early and late dumping.