Does Roux-en Y reconstruction with jejunal pouch after total gastrectomy prevent complications of postgastrectomy?
GROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of a jejunal pouch after a total gastrectomy with Roux-en Y reconstruction. METHODOLOGY: Thirty patients with gastric cancer who had a total gastrectomy as a radical operation and had no recurrence were enrolled in this study. The jejunal pouch was added to Roux-en Y reconstruction in 15 patients (J-pouch group) and was not added in the other 15 patients (Roux en-Y group). A questionnaire survey which consisted of dietary intake, postprandial abdominal complaints and body weight, blood examination (hemoglobin, total protein, albumin), were conducted. The 99mTc-DTPA with semi-liquid diet emptying test and the manometry in the jejunal pouch were evaluated in 12, 2 of the J-pouch group, respectively. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in the questionnaire survey and blood examination. The half emptying time (T1/2) of 99mTc-DTPA was over 60 minutes in 9 of the 12 J-pouch group. The manometric study did not reveal the
