Material and methods. Thirty male albino Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (Billroth I, Billroth II and controls). Four weeks after the surgical procedure, the animals were sacrificed and samples were taken of duodenum and pancreas. Cellular staining methods were used and a morphometric study of the pancreases was carried out. The results were analyzed for statistical significance, which was considered to be indicated by a p value of less than 0.05.
Results. The study of the weight changes demonstrated a more marked postoperative weight loss in the group subjected to duodenal exclusion, with recovery 4 weeks later, findings that were not statistically significant.
The endocrine cell study revealed an increase in the duodenal G cell counts in the gastrectomized rats (p = 0.0000), and decreases in the number of duodenal D cells (p = 0.006) and pancreatic islet D cells (p = 0.0000) in the Billroth II group. Pancreatic morphometry indicated a reduction in the islet surface * mm2 (p = 0.003) in the gastrectomized rats.
Conclusions.. Duodenal exclusion was associated with a more pronounced increment in the number of duodenal G cells, as well as a decrease in the duodenal D cell counts. Hyperplasia of the exocrine pancreas was detected after gastrectomy. The number and size of the pancreatic islets did not vary