Studies on Metabolic Bone Disease after Total Gastrectomy

Shigeko Takeuchi

Department of Surgery, Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical College

To investigate metabolic bone diseases after total gastrectomy, 54 patients who underwent total gastrectomy were studied in regard to serum biochemistry, mineral content of the trabecular bone of the third lumbar spine measured by the quantitative computed tomography method, bone mass and cortical bone mineral density measured by the multiple scanning X-ray photodensitometry method. In the patients who underwent total gastrectomy, serum calcium levels were lower and alkaline phosphate levels were higher than in the healthy controls (p<0.05). No significant difference was found in the serum phosphate levels. In 87.5% of women over 60 years old who underwent total gastrectomy, the mineral content of the trabecular bone was lower, and in 88.9% of women, the bone mass was less than in healthy women. In the patients who underwent total gastrectomy, cortical bone mineral density was higher than that of healthy subjects. These results show that in women over 60 years old who have undergone total gastrecotmy, bone atrophy is more rapid than in healthy persons and that the bone disorder after total gastrectomy is osteoporosis rather than osteomalacia.

Key words
metabolic bone diseases after total gastrectomy, multiple scanning X-ray photodensitometry, quantitative computed tomography

Reprint requests
Shigeko Takeuchi Department of Surgery, Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical College
8-1 Kawadacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162 JAPAN

Accepted
January 8, 1992

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