The effect of truncal and selective vagotomy on the release of pancreatic glucagon, insulin and enteroglucagon

Abstract

Abstract To study the effect of vagotomy on the endocrine function of the pancreas, plasma pancreatic glucagon levels were studied during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, and the plasma insulin and enteroglucagon levels after an oral hypertonic glucose meal, These tests were performed on patients who had either a truncal or selective vagotomy, all of them also having a drainage procedure. The rise of pancreatic glucagon levels during hypoglycaemia was significantly less in the truncal vagotomy group compared with the selective vagotomy group. The rise of enteroglucagon in the two groups was identical, but whereas in those with a selective vagotomy there was a significant correlation between the rate of rise of the plasma enteroglucagon and the 2-hour insulin output, no such correlation was present in those having a truncal vagotomy. These results are interpreted as indicating that division of the coeliac branch of the vagus nerve impairs the pancreatic secretion of both glucagon and insulin.