[On the problem of so-called ulcer in the old age (author's transl)]

By our own experiences with 471 stomach resections (gastric ulcers) we have found, that the so-called special situation of ulcer in the old age--from Spang firstly defined--has to be critically discussed. There are three groups of patients: 1. Patients with the so-called old age ulcer. 2. Patients who got their ulcer in early years of life. 3. Patients who are younger than 50 years. We mean there is no existance of a special course of this disease in elderly patients. Only the rate of complications which was most frequently to be found in the first group, differs from the other patients. For the surgeons ulcer operations have the same general problems as to be found in operations due to other reasons by elderly and old patients.