VAGOTOMY combined with pyloroplasty has been found to be a useful operation in the treatment of chronic duodenal ulcer. The associated mortality and morbidity from this procedure are low.1 The recurrence rate of ulcers following this procedure has also been reported as being low thus far.2
L. R. Dragstedt, Sr., found that vagotomy caused a marked and persistent rise in pouch secretions in the Heidenhain pouch dog.3 He also found that gastroenterostomy prior to vagotomy abolished this response. It was his feeling that vagotomy caused an increase in antral stimulation because of stasis resulting from the vagotomy. Others have reported similar results.4
Since the Heidenhain pouch reflects mostly the antral or gastric phase of gastric secretion, most of the hypersection following vagotomy is felt to be due to antral stimulation. The intestinal phase has also been found to be augmented; however, this is to a much