Surgical management of peptic ulcer disease

Since the advent of H2-receptor antagonists, elective ulcer surgery is rare. The need for operation for complications of peptic ulcer disease, however, remains unchanged. Highly selective vagotomy is the elective operation of choice for duodenal ulcer worldwide. It has few side effects and a mortality that approaches 0%. Unfortunately, ulcers recur in 10% to 15% of patients, a much higher recurrence rate than that seen with vagotomy and antrectomy (less than 1%). The latter operation, however, is associated with significant side effects, such as dumping syndrome and diarrhea, and a higher operative mortality. The elective operation of choice for gastric ulcer is antrectomy. Recent prospective trials show that highly selective vagotomy should be performed routinely at the time of closure of perforated duodenal ulcer. Neither morbidity nor mortality is increased with the procedure, and the 40% to 60% ulcer recurrence rate with closure alone is reduced to 2% to 8%.