Discussing the use of bile salt-binding resins, such as colestyramine (cholestyramine USAN), and somatostatin peptide drugs, such as octreotide, for the treatment of diarrhoea we saw that these drugs are only used for specific types of diarrhoea, such as secretory diarrhoeas. One example given was diarrhoea following vagotomy.
But why does vagotomy cause diarrhoea? Vagotomy is a surgical technique indicated for patients who develop acute complications from peptic ulcer disease or chronic symptoms despite being on maximally tolerated medical therapies. Damage to the vagus nerve can also occur following bariatric surgery, fundoplication, and oesophagal resection. Postvagotomy diarrhoea has been described in up to 30 percent of patients. Many patients have transient watery diarrhoea for three to six months postvagotomy but in some the diarrhoea can be severe and chronic.