[The course of benign stomach ulcer; results of a follow-up study]

A follow-up investigation was conducted in 112 patients in whom a benign gastric ulcer had been found endoscopically between 1978 and 1984. Nine patients had been operated upon, mainly in the earlier years. Out of 65 patients ultimately selected for the study 38 underwent gastroscopy and 35 could be evaluated. Of these 21 (60%) had complaints and another 60% used intermittent or continuous medication because of complaints referred to the stomach. In 15 patients erosions (4) or benign gastric ulcers (11) were found. In all patients in whom it was looked for Campylobacter pylori was found in the gastric mucosa. The benign gastric ulcer is a chronic, recurrent affection. We did not find a large proportion of asymptomatic recurrent ulcers. Many patients continue to use drugs. The complaints in patients with mucosal lesions are often atypical.