A criterion for completeness of vagotomy based on basal and vagally stimulated gastric acid secretion after esophagectomy or proximal gastric vagotomy.

The variation in basal acid secretion was determined in 10 patients after resection of the esophagus, an operation resulting in a total transection of all vagal nerves to the abdomen. After recording basal acid secretion over a 3-h period, a 15-min modified sham feeding procedure was performed, and the acid output was studied for an additional hour. The mean basal acid output +2 SD was 0.27 mmol/15 min. The difference between the highest and lowest recorded 15-min output--that is, the oscillation of basal acid output--was calculated for each patient. The mean oscillation of basal acid output +2 SD was 0.58 mmol/15 min. Vagal stimulation accomplished by sham feeding produced no significant increase in acid output above this level. The variation in basal acid secretion was also investigated in 20 duodenal ulcer patients after proximal gastric vagotomy. These patients were insulin-negative and remained asymptomatic during a 7- to 10-year follow-up study. Shortly after the vagotomy, measurement of basal acid secretion over 3 h showed a mean basal acid output +2 SD of 0.58 mmol/15 min. The mean oscillation of basal acid output +2 SD was 0.66 mmol/15 min. On the basis of the oscillation in basal acid secretion after complete vagotomy we propose a new criterion for completeness of vagotomy, namely a response to physiologic vagal stimulation which does not exceed the lowest basal level by more than 0.6 mmol/15 min.