Conservative treatment of 155 cases of perforated peptic ulcer

During 23 years a total of 155 cases of verified perforated peptic ulcer were treated conservatively, according to the routine of the department, with a complication rate of 31%, and a mortality rate of 10%. Out of the 16 deaths, 4 patients were moribund at the admission, and 10 of the 12 remaining patients had a severe associated disease. Therefore, results of conservative treatment cannot be judged from results in this group. In fact, the overally mortality rate was not not higher in this material than usually reported after surgical intervention. Long-term results (mean 11 years) in 93 patients were satisfactory in 18 our of 28 patients with acute ulcer, and in 31 out of 65 patients with chronic ulcer. The reperforation rate was 9.7%.