The effect of parietal cell and truncal vagotomy on gastric and duodenal contractile activity of the unanesthetized dog.

The antral-duodenal contractile relationship was studied in control, after parietal cell vagotomy and truncal vagotomy conditions using extraluminal strain gage transducers. All conditions were investigated under interdigestive and digestive states and after insulin, bethanechol and histamine. After parietal cell vagotomy, there was minimal alteration of the antral-duodenal relationship in both the interdigestive and digestive states. The number and amplitude of contractions on both the antrum and duodenum (as reflected by a motility index) were not changed from control by the various stimulants. The one exception was that histamine markedly stimulated the duodenal contractile activity. In the truncal vagotomy condition, there was a total disruption of the antral-duodenal relationship in the interdigestive and digestive states. There was a significant decrease in the number and amplitude of contractions occurring on the antrum during the interdigestive and after insulin stimulation. Food was ineffective in stimulating the antrum in 2 of 3 dogs. In contrast, motor activity of the duodenum was minimally influenced by truncal vagotomy. In conclusion, parietal cell vagotomy has minimal disruptive effects on the antralduodenal relationship while truncal vagotomy reduces antral contractile activity.