[Vagotomy in the surgical treatment of duodenal ulcer]

The authors present data on 406 patients with ulcer disease subjected to vagotomy. The indications for the operation were as follows: stenosis of the pylorus in 118 patients (3 patients died); perforation in 45 patients (one patient died); chronic ulcer disease in 198 patients (one patient died); hemorrhage in 47 patients (5 patients died). Thus, lethality was mainly associated with complicated forms of the ulcer disease, with hemorrhage in particular in elderly and senile patients with concomitant diseases. Further improvement of the vagotomy technique, good skill of the surgeon and exact indications for the operation will result in better outcomes of the operation.