Long term results of high selective vagotomy: a 12-year experience

The long term results (6 to 12 years) of high selective vagotomy are reported. The study includes 470 patients operated electively for uncomplicated duodenal ulcer. The indications for surgery were: persistence of ulcer after medical treatment; recurrent ulcer after repeated treatments with antacids and/or H2 blockers; noncompliance of the patients with the medical treatment for various reasons. The procedure was performed following the technique described by Goligher with minor modifications. Subsequently, a personal technique of intraoperative transesophageal gastric pHmetry was applied for the control of the completeness of vagotomy. The clinical results were classified according to Visick grading. It is concluded that the absence of mortality, the negligible postoperative morbidity, the clinical and functional results make high selective vagotomy the best treatment for uncomplicated duodenal ulcer.