Abnormalities of gastric emptying and pyloric reflux in uncomplicated hiatus hernia

Abstract

Abstract We have measured the rate of gastric emptying of solid and liquid meals by an external scanning technique and have studied pyloric reflux by a radiological technique. Investigations were performed in patients with uncomplicated hiatal hernia, patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcer and normal controls. There was a significant delay in the emptying of both solid and liquid meals in the patients with hiatal hernia compared with both the duodenal ulcer patients (solid meals P < 0·01, liquid meals P < 0·025) and with normal controls (solid meals P < 0·05, liquid meals P < 0·001). Duodenogastric reflux was observed in 35 per cent of hiatal hernia patients compared with 24 per cent of duodenal ulcer patients and no incidence in the controls.