[Experiences with selective proximal vagotomy in the treatment of chronic duodenal ulcers]

After 138 selective proximal vagotomies--130 of which were performed because of chronic duodenal ulcer--the rate of the postoperative complications was 3,8%, which is very low; the primary lethality was 0,76%. At re-examination 68% of the patients were without complaints; 8% had a recurrent ulcer. Epigastric fulness (6%), dumping (1%) and diarrhea (1%) were rare. Because of our results we believe, that selective proximal vagotomy is the optimal method for the surgical treatment of duodenal ulcer.