Vagotomy Suppresses Body Weight Gain in a Rat Model of Gastric Banding

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vagotomy on body weight changes after gastric banding. Methods: Rats were divided into a sham-operated group (n = 10), a vagotomy alone group (n = 10), a gastric banding alone group (n = 10) and a gastric banding + vagotomy group (n = 10). All groups were given a liquid diet for 5 days after surgery and then given free access to chow. Their body weight was measured through postoperative day (POD) 14, and caloric intake and nitrogen balance were measured until POD 7. Results: The increase in body weight in the banding + vagotomy group between POD 0 and POD 14 was not significant (12.5 ± 16.8 g; p = 0.48), and it was less than in the banding alone group (52.8 ± 3.8 g; p = 0.031). Cumulative caloric intake from POD 5 to POD 7 was less in the banding + vagotomy group than in the banding alone group (158.6 ± 26.3 vs. 223.9 ± 8.3 kcal; p = 0.030). Daily nitrogen balance from POD 5 to POD 7 in the banding + vagotomy group was less than in the banding group (337 ± 77 vs. 540 ± 42 mg; p = 0.033). Conclusions: Vagotomy suppressed body weight gain in the rat model of gastric banding.

Sleeve Gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Alter the Gut-Brain Communication

“…Truncal vagotomy also produced transient decreases in spontaneous glutamate release, glutamate release probability, and the number of primary afferent inputs [ 30 ]. Interestingly, several studies report that vagotomy reduces food intake and body weight [ 52 – 54 ]. Moreover, recent studies indicate that signals carried by vagal afferents from the GI tract contribute to the early RYGB-induced body weight loss and reduction of food intake [ 26 ].…”

Plasticity of gastrointestinal vagal afferent satiety signals

“…While this method is very crude, it did reveal striking disturbances in food intake. However, the results were inconsistent, with some studies reporting a decrease in weight and others reporting no difference or even an increase in weight . Furthermore, a vagotomy also reduces gastric relaxation, motility and secretions, that is, acid and gastrin, all making a role for the vagus in the control of food intake hard to identify.…”

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding and Hypoglycemia

“…Historically, procedures associated with greater manipulation of the vagus nerve have included esophagectomies, gastrectomies, RYGB, and Billroth configurations; they all reroute the foregut anatomy [11]. Interestingly enough, upon review of other reported LAGB studies, these studies have investigated long-term weight regulating effects of vagotomy when performed in conjunction with gastric banding, however, not specifically hypoglycemia [12–15]. …”