Use of endoscopic Congo red test in the evaluation of ulcer recurrence risks after proximal gastric vagotomy: a new interpretive method

• Published in: Surgical endoscopy 1989-12, Vol.3 (4), p.182-185
• Main Authors: PEROSA DE MIRANDA, M, GAMA-RODRIGUES, J, CARNEIRO D'ALBUQUERQUE, L. A, SAKAI, P, PINOTTI, H. W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Congo Red; Duodenal Ulcer - diagnosis; Duodenal Ulcer - surgery; Female; Gastric Mucosa; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Gastroscopy; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Other diseases. Semiology; Recurrence; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Vagotomy, Proximal Gastric
• ISSN: 0930-2794; 1432-2218
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02171542

The endoscopic Congo red test (ECRT) was performed in 43 patients who underwent proximal gastric vagotomy (PGV) for duodenal ulcer (DU). The aim of the study was to develop a standard and reliable way to interpret the results obtained in this test. Thus, the results of ECRT were related to post-operative clinical evaluation and to pre- and post-operative basal and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acidity. Whenever ECRT was considered positive, we called it in "large extension" if a red-to-black colour change occurred in three or more of the areas studied. Positive ECRT was observed in 39 patients (90.7%). There was a statistically significant (P less than 0.01) correlation between poor clinical results and positive ECRT in "large extension". We concluded that: (1) a positive ECRT result has no clinical or prognostic significance in DU patients after PGV; (2) ECRT, analysed according to the extension of the areas turning black, is a practical and reliable method to establish clinical results and prognosis in these patients.