Background/aims: The proximal stomach is considered as the main contributor to liquid emptying. The aim of this study was to investigate the capacity of the distal stomach to generate transpyloric flow pulses in the absence of the proximal stomach.
Methods: Concurrent motility and flow measurements were made in eight anesthetized pigs. Four animals had the proximal stomach excluded by creation of a mucosal septal pouch.
Results: Although major modifications of both flow pulse and motility patterns resulted from proximal stomach exclusion, emptying remained pulsatile and overall emptying rate unchanged. After proximal stomach exclusion, backflow disappeared and flow pulses occurred simultaneously with antral and pyloric pressure events, whereas flow pulses preceded the pressure events in intact animals. The frequency of flow pulses decreased after proximal stomach exclusion because the interval between gastroduodenal pressure events was longer. In contrast, there was an increase in the stroke volume of flow pulses attributable to a decrease in pyloric resistance.
Conclusions: Exclusion of the proximal stomach does not modify the overall emptying rate, although the mechanisms responsible for emptying are modified. In particular, the stroke volume of individual pulses is greater.