Synchronized gastric electrical stimulation improves vagotomy-induced impairment in gastric accommodation via the nitrergic pathway in dogs

Impaired gastric accommodation and gastric dysrhythmia are common in gastroparesis and functional dyspepsia. Recent studies have shown that synchronized gastric electrical stimulation (SGES) accelerates gastric emptying and enhances antral contractions in dogs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanism of SGES on gastric accommodation and slow waves impaired by vagotomy in dogs. Gastric tone, compliance, and accommodation as well as slow waves with and without SGES were assessed in seven female regular dogs and seven dogs with bilateral truncal vagotomy, chronically implanted with gastric serosal electrodes and a gastric cannula. We found that 1) vagotomy impaired gastric accommodation that was normalized by SGES. The postprandial increase in gastric volume was 283.5 +/- 50.6 ml in the controlled dogs, 155.2 +/- 49.2 ml in the vagotomized dogs, and 304.0 +/- 57.8 ml in the vagotomized dogs with SGES. The ameliorating effect of SGES was no longer observed after application of N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA); 2) vagotomy did not alter gastric compliance whereas SGES improved gastric compliance in the vagotomized dogs, and the improvement was also blocked by L-NNA; and 3) vagotomy impaired antral slow wave rhythmicity in both fasting and fed states. SGES at the proximal stomach enhanced the postprandial rhythmicity and amplitude (dominant power) of the gastric slow waves in the antrum. In conclusion, SGES with appropriate parameters restores gastric accommodation and improves gastric slow waves impaired by vagotomy. The improvement in gastric accommodation with SGES is mediated via the nitrergic pathway. Combined with previously reported findings (enhanced antral contractions and accelerated gastric emptying) and findings in this study (improved gastric accommodation and slow waves), SGES may be a viable therapy for gastroparesis.