Effect of Pre-Feeding of Fat on I131 Triolein Absorption in Subtotal Gastrectomy Patients

The I131 tagged triolein test was performed in 12 patients with subtotal gastrectomy (Billroth II) in the fasting state and 30 minutes after oral ingestion of a fat meal. In the fasting state, increased fecal radioactivity was observed in 10 patients. When lipid was pre-fed, there was a significant decrease in radioactive content of stool and increase in blood radioactivity. The data support the concept that the defect exhibited by these patients is primarily digestive and suggest that the major disturbance is one of inadequate mixing of labeled triglyceride with the upper intestinal contents necessary for proper lipid digestion.