Cimetidine for recurrent ulcer after gastric surgery

Seven of nine patients with ulcers recurring after a variety of gastric operations enjoyed loss of dyspeptic symptoms within 2 days of taking cimetidine, 1,200 mg/day for 6 weeks, and endoscopic confirmation of healing of the recurrent ulcer was established within 6 weeks of therapy. Once ulcer healing had been achieved in these seven patients, symptomatic remission persisted for over 19 months without maintenance therapy with cimetidine, and no complications suggestive of recurrent ulcerations occurred during this period in these seven patients. The eighth patient with a recurrent ulcer after vagotomy and pyloroplasty had symptoms suggestive of a gastric outlet obstruction in association with a bezoar and an elevated fasting serum gastrin concentration; cimetidine failed to heal the ulcer and a partial gastrectomy with Billroth I anastomosis was undertaken. The ninth patient lost his dyspeptic symptoms while on cimetidine, but 1 month after stopping therapy he succumbed to a massive hemorrhage; autopsy revealed a large pyloric channel ulcer. We suggest that cimetidine is helpful for the control of symptoms and the healing of recurrent ulcers after gastric surgery, but that endoscopy be repeated after an appropriate interval while such patients remain on cimetidine to assure that the disappearance of symptoms is truly associated with a lack of peptic ulceration. If the ulceration persists, we believe that cimetidine should be continued for a longer period.