Maldigestion after total gastrectomy is associated with pancreatic insufficiency.

Abstract

After total gastrectomy, patients develop severe primary exocrine pancreatic insufficiency with decreased gastrin, decreased late postprandial pancreatic polypeptide, and increased cholecystokinin levels. These findings may explain why many patients with total gastrectomy have maldigestion and weight loss postoperatively. Therefore, gastrectomized patients should be given pancreatic enzymes to avoid these symptoms.