The effect of vagotomy on gastric adaptation.

Gastric adaptation was impaired immediately after the performance of complete vagotomy in a series of 20 acute experiments in the dog. Preliminary isolation of the intact vagi in 10 of these animals produced alterations in adaptation similar to those seen after vagal division. It is concluded that alterations in gastric adaptation are not a reliable intraoperative aid to complete vagotomy. These findings may be significant in the interpretation of all intraoperative tests for vagotomy.