Effect of Vagotomy on Pancreatic Secretion

¹ From the Gastroenterology Research Laboratory, The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City

This investigation was concerned primarily with the effect of vagotomy on the secretory responses of the canine pancreas. Quantitative collections of uncontaminated pancreatic juice were effected by use of chronic preparations, provided with a cannula-closed duodenostomy (Thomas technique) and a gastrostomy to prevent interference by the HCl-secretin mechanism. Vagotomy had no significant effect on the basal pancreatic secretion of water (volume-rate) or bicarbonate. When secretion was induced by administration of secretin or histamine, vagotomy was followed by an increase in both volume and HCO₃, although the rises were statistically significant in only two of the four dogs studied. It is concluded that the vagus appears to play a considerable inhibitory role in the regulation of water and electrolyte outputs in exogenously stimulated pancreatic secretion, but not in the basal secretion.