Late outcome of undersewing alone for gastric ulcer haemorrhage

Between 1977 and 1988 22 patients requiring urgent surgery for bleeding gastric ulceration were managed by simple undersewing of the ulcer. Long-term follow-up of these patients was undertaken to determine the risk of recurrent gastric ulceration and further gastric ulcer haemorrhage. Two patients died in the immediate perioperative period leaving 20 patients available for long-term follow-up (mean 43.3 months). Three recurrent gastric ulcers were diagnosed, two of these presenting with haemorrhage. No patient presented with further gastric ulceration while on histamine (H2) receptor antagonist therapy. The long-term outcome of undersewing alone, when combined with maintenance H2-receptor antagonist therapy, is satisfactory in terms of low mortality and low risk of ulcer recurrence.