Accidents and complications in selective and proximal gastric vagotomy

In 3 years 266 consecutive patients were electively operated on for ulcer disease with either selective vagotomy (SV) with drainage (159) or proximal gastric vagotomy (PGV) without drainage (107). The total number of operative accidents was 15 (6 percent), similar to that of truncal vagotomy. Perforation of the stomach occurred in six SV and in one PGV. The perforation went unobserved in two patients, of whom one died. Esophageal perforations were not observed. Bleeding from the lesser omentum or from the spleen was seen in seven patients, requiring reoperation in one. Postoperative surgical complications were seen in 25 patients (9 percent): clinical gastric retention was observed in nine patients, five with SV and four with PGV, and 13 had wound abscesses or dehiscence. Fifty-nine patients had other complications, of which 52 were radiologically demonstrated atelectases, mostly without any clinical significance. The total mortality rate was 1.1 percent, similar to that of truncal vagotomy. The duration of the two operative procedures did not differ, and the greater care required for preservation of the nerve of Latarjet tended to diminish the number of operative accidents.