Using rats in a standardized animal experiment, the extent of duodenogastric reflux was studied eight months postoperatively following SPV with and without pyloroplasty. The reflux was determined by enzymatically testing the concentration of bile acid secretion withdrawn from the stomach intraoperatively. Serving as comparison were laparotomies, simple pyloroplasties, and the obligatory reflux models: resection after BII without enteroanastomosis. After SPV with and without pyloroplasty, the extent of duodenogastric reflux was less than in the control group. Specimens with simple pyloroplasty displayed a significantly greater reflux. The BII group had fivefold higher reflux than the control group. Since pyloroplasty can be considered a drainage operation, there is no retention of food particles in the stomach of the rat following SPV--an occurrence expected after SPV without pyloroplasty. However, due to the retarded stomach motility, the thickened chyme tends to linger at the opening of the stomach, thus reducing the duodenogastric reflux. According to our investigations, an increased duodenogastric reflux following SPV with or without pyloroplasty does not induce changes in the mucosa of the stomach.