Background: The aim of the study was to elucidate the degree and the pathophysiology of abdominal symptoms, malnutrition and malassimilation after total gastrectomy.
Methods: In 174 consecutive patients, with potentially curative total gastrectomy for gastric malignancy, subjective symptoms and objective parameters of malassimilation were evaluated.
Results: Abdominal symptoms were present in 86% of the patients. In spite of a high daily calorie intake (median 37.8 kcal/kg body weight) mean body mass index had been decreasing since good health. Anaemia was found in 46%, sideropenia in 31% and oesophagitis in 26%. Mean faecal fat excretion was 17.4 (1.4) g/day and mean fat malassimilation 14.8% (1.1) of the intake. A shortened small-bowel transit was measured in 21.7% of the patients, and bacterial overgrowth was present in 37.7%.
Conclusions: Malassimilation post total gastrectomy seems to be multifactorial. Shortened small-bowel transit and subsequent dyssynchrony of pancreatic enzyme supply seem to be of major importance.