POSTOPERATIVE EVALUATION OF PYLORUS-PRESERVING GASTRECTOMY FOR EARLY GASTRIC-CANCER

Physical results after pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) with prese rvation of the vagus nerve were evaluated. The status of 15 patients w ith early gastric cancer after PPG was compared with that of 14 patien ts after distal gastrectomy (DG). The postoperative/preoperative body- weight ratio of the PPG group (0.99) was significantly greater than th at of the DG group (0.92). Patients who had PPG had fewer postoperativ e abdominal symptoms than those who underwent DG. The gastric emptying pattern of patients who had a pylorus-preserving procedure was slower than that of those who had conventional gastrectomy, and more similar to the preoperative pattern. Contraction of the gallbladder after PPG was better than after DG. Gastroscopy revealed that the mucosa of the stomach remnant after PPG was less abnormal than after DG. In conclus ion, PPG is a more physiological operation than conventional DG and sh ould be applied in carefully selected cases of early gastric cancer.