[Prevention of postoperative reflux esophagitis in patients with duodenal ulcer]

The incidence of reflux-esophagitis was studied in 574 dispensary patients and 217 patients operated upon for ulcer disease. It was found that reflux-esophagitis is observed in 19.8% of patients with ulcer disease and in 34% of such patients subject to operation. The main cause of it is incompetence of the cardiac sphincter without or in combination with a hernia of the esophageal opening. It was noted that vagotomy leads to a disturbance of the ligamentous system of the cardio-esophageal zone and in all cases leads to the development of reflux-esophagitis. Fundoesophagorraphy is thought to be the best method of preoperative treatment of reflux-esophagitis.