Measurement of superior mesenteric artery flow by means of Doppler ultrasound in early dumping syndrome

Objective: Dumping occurs in about 10% of patients after gastric surgery. I t has been suggested that early dumping is associated with an abnormal incr ease in postprandial splanchnic flow, but data from controlled studies are lacking. Therefore we have studied basal and postprandial superior mesenter ic artery (SMA) blood flow in patients with dumping and in two control grou ps, Methods: Three groups were studied, one group of patients after gastric surgery with early dumping (n = 6), one surgical control group with patien ts after gastric surgery without dumping symptoms (n = 7), and a healthy co ntrol group without previous gastric surgery (n = 10), Blood glucose and he art rate were measured after dumping provocation by oral ingestion of 50 g glucose. SMA blood flow was measured both basally and 20 min after glucose ingestion. Results: Basal SMA flow was similar in the three groups. After g lucose ingestion SMA flow was not significantly different between dumping p atients and surgical controls. However, stimulated SMA flow in both groups after gastric surgery combined was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in healthy controls. Conclusion: The systemic symptoms associated with early d umping do not result from increased SMA blood flow per se. After gastric su rgery patients have an increased postprandial SMA flow irrespective of the presence of dumping, (C) 1998 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology.