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Significant weight-loss and diabetes remission have been reported after mini-gastric bypass (MGB). Concern has been raised regarding postoperative bile reflux (BR), but it has not been demonstrated in previous studies. We set out to find out if BR is evident in hepatobiliary scintigraphy after MGB. Nine consecutive patients, seven with type 2 diabetes, underwent MGB (15 cm gastric tube, 250-275 cm biliary limb) at our institution with a 12-month follow-up, with none lost to follow-up. Then, 10.7 months (8.6-13.0) after MGB, all patients underwent hepatobiliary scintigraphy and a reflux symptom questionnaire (GerdQ) was filled out. A gastroscopy with biopsies was done for all patients with a bile-reflux-positive scintigraphy. Mean age at operation was 56 years (41-65) and preoperative BMI 43.1 kg/m(2) (34.2-54.6). Mean %EWL was 83.9 (49.5-128.3) at 12 months. Four patients reached diabetes remission and two became insulin-independent. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy showed a transient BR into the gastric tube for five patients. Bile tracer was found in the gastric tube at 23-58 min after the tracer injection and highest activity was 8% (1-8%) at 58 min. Bile tracer was not found in the esophagus of any of the patients. One patient with a positive scintigraphy in the gastric tube required re-operation. Two patients with reflux symptoms had a negative scintigraphy. Our results indicate that transient bile reflux is common after MGB in the gastric tube, but not in the esophagus. The clinical relevance of bile reflux needs further studies.

A portable optical-fiber sensor for ambulatory assessment of the enterogastric reflux, based on the optical properties of the bile, was developed. It makes use of two light-emitting diodes and of an appropriate electronic circuit that processes the signals and provides the readout on a display. A suitable probe for in vivo measurements was designed. Plastic fiber bundles are used in order to obtain probe flexibility and low price. In vivo measurements performed on different patients show the superiority of this technique over existing methods.

PURPOSE: To assess the effects of Roux-en-Y jejunal limb length on gastric emptying and enterogastric reflux. METHODS: Seventy male Wistar rats were submitted to antrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction and then were divided into two groups of 35 animals. Group A, short limb (7.5 cm) and Group B, standard limb (15 cm). Group A and B were subdivided into five subgroups each in order to study enterogastric reflux at 30 and 60 minutes and to evaluate gastric emptying at 5, 10 and 15 minutes. In order to measure gastric emptying and enterogastric reflux, radiotracers 99m Tc-Phytate and 99m Tc-DISIDA were respectively used. RESULTS: For gastric emptying, the radiotracer concentration was lower in Group A than in Group B after five minutes. The enterogastric reflux was present, but there were no significant differences between enterogastric reflux indexes concerning both A and B Groups. CONCLUSION: A standard Roux limb, besides being unable to protect the stomach from the enterogastric reflux, may become a functional barrier for gastric emptying. OBJETIVO: Determinar os efeitos do comprimento da alça jejunal em Y de Roux sobre o esvaziamento gástrico e o refluxo enterogástrico. MÉTODOS: Setenta e cinco ratos machos foram submetidos à antrectomia com reconstrução em Y de Roux e divididos em dois grupos de 35 animais. Grupo A, alça curta (7,5cm) e Grupo B (15cm), alça de comprimento padrão. Os grupos A e B foram subdivididos em cinco subgrupos cada para o estudo do refluxo enterogástrico aos 30 e 60 minutos e para o estudo do esvaziamento gástrico aos 5, 10 e 15 minutos. 99m Tc-Fitato and 99m Tc-DISIDA foram utilizados para os estudos do esvaziamento gástrico e do refluxo enterogástrico, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: No estudo do esvaziamento gástrico, a concentração do radiotraçador foi menor no grupo A do que no Grupo B aos cinco minutos. Foi encontrado o refluxo enterogástrico, nos grupos A e B, sem diferenças entre eles. CONCLUSÃO: A alça em Y de Roux de comprimento padrão foi ineficaz em proteger o estômago do refluxo enterogástrico, e pode tornar-se uma barreira funcional ao esvaziamento gástrico.

Bile determination is very useful to diagnose many gastric pathologies. Actually the measurement is performed with Bilitec 2000, an optical fibre sensor, based on the absorption by bilirubin. Nevertheless erroneous evaluations can occur due to different configurations which the bilirubin molecule can adopt. The optical behaviour of human samples of pure bile and bile + gastric juice has been examined by an optical fibre spectrophotometer and two Bilitec 2000 units properly modified. The analysis on pH dependance evidenced the presence of different calibration curves at different pH values, while Bilitec units showed that 420 nm could be a more appropriate wavelength for bilirubin detection.

A new technique for the long-term ambulatory detection of enterogastric and nonacid gastroesophageal reflux has been conceived, developed, and validated. It is based on the use of a fiberoptic sensor that utilizes the optical properties of bile. In vitro studies have shown good precision, good stability, sensitivity of 2.5 mumol/liter bilirubin concentration, as well as a useful working range of 2.5-100 mumol/liter bilirubin concentration. In vivo studies have been performed in 29 subjects. Simultaneous gastric aspirations have allowed a comparison of fiberoptic system measurements both with spectrophotometric analysis and bile acid concentrations of corresponding gastric juice samples. Linear correlations were shown between fiberoptic assessment and both spectrophotometric and bile acid concentration findings (P < 0.01). Simultaneous assessment of reflux with the fiberoptic system and cholescintigraphy has shown a 92.9% concordance as regards the presence or absence of reflux. Present results imply that the fiberoptic system is an important tool for the understanding of the clinical relevance of enterogastric and nonacid gastroesophageal reflux.