THE DUODENOJEJUNAL JUNCTION AND TREITZ LIGAMENT IN THE REGULATION OF DUODENAL EMPTYING

In chronic experiments in dogs the evacuatory and absorptive duodenal functions and the level of duodenogastric reflux (DGR) in sham-operate d dogs and dogs with transected Treitz ligament (TL) and resected duod enojejunal junction (DJJ) were studied. The electrophysiologic charact eristics of the antrum, duodenum, and DJJ in sham-operated dogs were e xamined. It was shown that there is a coordination of gastric and duod enal solid carbohydrate food emptying. The process of evacuation from both organs was characterized by three closely correlated phases, phas e 2 of emptying being exponential. In the TL transection and DJJ resec tion groups the coordination of gastric and duodenal emptying disappea red. The rate of carbohydrate solid food evacuation from the duodenum decreased, on average, by 45.5% +/- 5.5% (P < 0.05); phase 2 of duoden al emptying became unexponential, and the level of DGR considerably in creased. The rate of duodenal absorption of main organic chyme compone nts increased significantly in most of the time intervals studied. Sig nificantly higher amplitudes of slow waves and spike potentials were r ecorded from the DJJ than from the duodenum. We conclude that the DJJ and TL are possible regulators of duodenal emptying. The DJJ is probab ly a functional sphincter that provides coordinated activity of the st omach and duodenum.