[Modern view of the pathogenesis and therapy of gastroduodenal peptic ulcer]

After a wide analysis of peptic gastroduodenal ulcer medical therapy, before and after the era of cimetidine, the Authors, after a brief account of the Anatomy and Physiology of the stomach, examine surgical therapy, from the end of the last century till now. After giving the results of the surgical cases of one of them (A. Vinci), including 500 operations, from 1955 till now, almost all with gastric resection, without vagotomy, the Authors point out that today, in the era of cimetidine, surgical therapy has considerably diminished and is reserved only for the complications of pathological cases (perforation, hemorrhage, closed duodenum stenosis), and for those cases which don't respond to antisecretory pharmacological therapy. They also emphasize, that nowadays, in spite of the cooperation among gastroenterologists, gastroscopists and surgeons, the etiopathogenesis of peptic ulcer isn't clear yet, and they conclude by saying that our lack of knowledge of its origin and natural evolution, doesn't guarantee a definitive cure, although the therapy with cimetidine and similar medicines, according to the Authors' personal experiences and opinion, must be continued for the patient's entire life.