[Good results of stent treatment in perforated duodenal ulcer]

Despite modern treatment of ulcer disease perforations still occur and constitute a life threatening complication. Standard treatment is surgical closure. We have introduced stent treatment as a minimal invasive alternative, mainly in elderly and co-morbid patients. During a 4-year period (2009-2012) ten patients with perforated duodenal ulcer were treated with a covered duodenal stent at South Älvsborg Hospital. These patients were retrospectively compared with all patients (n = 19) treated with surgical closure at the same hospital during the same time period. Stent treatment shows good clinical results indicating fewer complications than surgical treatment even if the patients had a slightly higher ASA score. In this series stent treatment is shown to be a safe and effective alternative for treating perforated duodenal ulcers, even in old and co-morbid patients.