Some patients develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after a gastrectomy for stomach cancer. Therefore, we conducted this research to gain an understanding of esophageal acidity and motility change.

From July 2002 to March 2004, the cases of 15 randomized patients with stomach cancer who underwent a radical subtotal gastrectomy (RSG) with Billroth I(B-I) reconstruction (n=12) or a radical total gastrectomy (RTG) with Roux-en-Y (R-Y) gastroenterostomy (n=3) were analyzed. We investigated the clinical values of the ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring and esophageal manometry in these patients, just before discharge from the hospital after an operation.

GERD was present in three patients (20%). Compared with two reconstructive procedures, 3 of the 12 patients in the RSG with B-I group had GERD; however, none of RTG with R-Y group had GERD. Compared with pathologic stage, 2 of 9 patients in stage I, 1 of 2 patients in stage II, none of 3 patients in stage III, and none of 1 patient in stage IV had GERD. Esophageal manometry was performed in 10 patients. Nonspecific esophageal motility disorder (NEMD) was present in 7 patients.

Some patients had GERD as a complication following a gastrectomy for stomach cancer. We suspect that the postoperative esophageal symptom is due to not only bile reflux but also gastroesophageal acid reflux. Therefore, careful observation is recommended for the detection of GERD.