Management of massive gastroduodenal haemorrhage

A special program for management of massive gastrointestinal bleeding was 1976 introduced in the surgical service of Sahlgren's Hospital in Göteborg. The main points in this program were: careful observation in an intensive care unit, standardized treatment, early diagnostic gastroduodenoscopy, strict indications for emergency operation and recommendation of type operation. This paper deals with 55 patients subjected to emergency operations in 1976 with the diagnosis erosive gastritis, gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer. The results are compared to an earlier study in 1962-71 in the same hospital. It was found that the mortality was unchanged during the two periods, 25% during 1962-71 and 24% during 1976. At a first glance the new program might seem ineffective. However, the part of elderly patients was much higher during 1976 than during 1962-71. Thus, the patients during 1976 must be considered much more of a surgical challenge. As old patients often have coexisting severe diseases they are surgically most unfit. Probably a more conservative attitude is justified in this particular group of patients.