The effect of truncal vagotomy on the bicarbonate-ion secretion of the stomach in rat.

: The effect of truncal vagotomy on the gastric bicarbonate-ion, H-ion and chloride-ion secretions of the rat was studied experimentally. In the first half hour after truncal vagotomy, besides the known decrease of the H-ion, also the bicarbonate-ion and chloride-ion secretions were found reduced. The decrease in bicarbonate ion secretion was smaller as compared to the H-ion secretion. After two hours, there was no difference in bicarbonate-ion and chloride-ion secretions as compared to the controls and to the vagotomized groups. According to their results, following truncal vagotomy applied in the surgical management of ulcer, the bicarbonate-ion secretion of the stomach decreases immediately after operation. This decrease is, however, only transitory the bicarbonate-ion secretion becoming normal within a short time.