Aim: To investigate the relationship between the function of vagus nerve and peptide YY(3-36) and ghrelin levels after subtotal gastrectomy.
Methods: We enrolled a total of 16 patients who underwent subtotal gastrectomy due to gastric cancer. All surgeries were performed by a single skilled surgeon. We measured peptide YY(3-36), ghrelin, leptin, insulin, growth hormone levels, and body weight immediately before and one month after surgery.
Results: Vagus nerve preservation group showed less body weight loss and less increase of peptide YY(3-36) compared with vagotomy group (-5.56 ± 2.24 kg vs -7.85 ± 1.57 kg, P = 0.037 and 0.06 ± 0.08 ng/mL vs 0.19 ± 0.12 ng/mL, P = 0.021, respectively). Moreover, patients with body weight loss of less than 10% exhibited reduced elevation of peptide YY(3-36) level, typically less than 20% [6 (66.7%) vs 0 (0.0%), P = 0.011, odd ratio = 3.333, 95% confidence interval (1.293, 8.591)].
Conclusion: Vagus nerve preservation contributes to the maintenance of body weight after gastrectomy, and this phenomenon may be related to the suppressed activity of peptide YY(3-36).
Keywords: Anal cushion; Anal incontinence; Hemorrhoidectomy; Liquids continence test; Wexner score.