Clinical application of electrogastrography (EGG) in stomach cancer patients with distal gastrectomy.

59 Background: Electrogastrography (EGG) is a method of measuring action potentials of the stomach. The purposes of this study were to investigate postoperative changes in the EGG and then evaluated gastric motility and to determine the correlation between EGG and quality of life (QOL) of stomach cancer patients with distal gastrectomy. Methods: This study analyzed 20 cases of stomach cancer patients between May 2010 and Dec. 2010. All patients were measured EGG and QOL at 1, 12, and 24 weeks after the operation. The EORTC quality of life questionnaire QOL-C30 version 3.0 and QOL-STO22 were used in this study to assess QOL of gastric cancer patients. Results: Fasting and postprandial mean dominant frequency at 1 week after the operation were 2.7 and 2.6 cycles per minute (cpm), and 2.9 and 2.7 cpm at 12 weeks. Fasting and postprandial dominant power at 1 week were 36.5 and 36.4 dB, and 36.3 and 40.1 dB at 12 weeks. After postoperative week 12, the mean percentage of normal rhythm in both recordings was not changed, whereas the mean percentage of bradygastria was decreased and tachygastria was increased. Regarding QOL, global health, physical, emotional and social status were improved, but pain, insomnia, diarrhea, and financial status was worsened at 12 weeks. On the STO22, the correlation between the QOL and EGG parameters was not significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: These suggest that EGG is a simple and noninvasive method and may be applicated for evaluating motility and autonomic functions of the remnant stomach after distal gastrectomy.