Motility in the Hunt-Lawrence pouch after total gastrectomy

The aim of the study was to describe normal motility patterns of the Hunt Lawrence pouch and the jejunal limb after gastrectomy. Twenty eight asymptomatic patients who had undergone prior total gastrectomy with a Hunt-Lawrence pouch reconstruction, were studied using a 5-channel water-perfused motility system. Results were compared with the jejunal motility of 9 healthy unoperated volunteers. Additionally, 5 patients who were markedly symptomatic following the operation were studied for comparison. The typical motility pattern observed in the reconstructed Hunt-Lawrence pouch gastrectomy is different to those seen in the normal jejunum but were unaffected by the technique of distal reconstruction (ie. jejunal interposition or Roux-en-Y). Motility studies were able to identify marked deviations from this motility pattern in 4 or 5 patients who had persistent symptoms following the operation.