Metabolic disorders in the gastrectomized patient

The present study attempts on one hand to study the metabolic disorders which may present themselves in the gastrectomized patient, such as the malabsorption of fat, vitamin B12, folic acid and iron as well as the possible correlation between steatorrhea and the presence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. For this purpose a group of 71 patients have been studied who have undergone a subtotal gastrectomy (70.42%) or total (29.58%) in the General Surgery Services of Elche. The results obtained show the presence of ferropenic or megaloblastic anemia in 61.97% of the group, serious steatorrhea in only 3 patients (4.22%) and calciumphosphorous metabolism alterations appeared in 21.13%. With this we conclude that anemia is the most frequent ferropenic alteration in the gastrectomy patient; steatorrhea does not seem to be produced exclusively by the presence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and bone alterations in the gastrectomized patient appear in an insidious manner, being more a question of biochemical alterations than actual clinical lesions.