Changes in Gallbladder Motility in Gastrectomized Patients

OBJECTIVES: Gastric resection may predispose gallstone formation. However, the mechanism has not been clearly understood. To evaluate the relationship between gastric resection and gallstone formation, we compared gallbladder(GB) motility in gastrectomized patients and control subjects. METHODS: We compared the GB volume and ejection fraction of the 46 gastrectomized patients with 37 healthy controls using real time ultrasonography. RESULTS: GB volume increased significantly in the gastrectomized group in fasting (30.2 ± 13.9 ml). The GB volume after a fatty meal was greater in the gastrectomized group (12.6 ± 6.4 ml) than in the control group (4.3 ± 3.3 ml) (p < 0.01). A significant reduction of ejection fraction was found in gastrectomized patients (56.9 ± 13.0%) in comparison with the control group (75.5 ± 16.1%) (p < 0.01). The GB ejection fraction had a poor correlation to the postoperative period (r = 0.232). CONCLUSION: A gastrectomy appears to be a risk factor of GB dysmotility, which may play a major role in gallstone formation in gastrectomized patients.