Long-term consequences of surgical treatment of peptic ulcer

Surgical treatment of peptic ulcer may lead to several late postoperative morphological and metabolic abnormalities. Forty two patients (16 females and 26 males) at mean age of 47 years after surgery for peptic ulcer (mean postoperative period of 9 years) were recruited in this study. Following methods have been used for evaluation of those patients: clinical and serum biochemical assessment, UGI tract endoscopy, histology of gastric or duodenal mucosa biopsies, test for H-pylori presence, Ca-P-Mg homeostasis and BMD using DXA-absorptiometry. No clinical and biochemical abnormalities were found. In 60% of examined pts gastritis or duodenitis with various degrees of the reflux were found endoscopicaly. In 64% of pts histology showed signs of mucosal inflammation. Recurrent ulcer was found in 3 pts. H-pylori was present in 16 pts (40%). The significant reduction of BMD, especially of the lumbar spine, in the pts after the PG resection in comparison to the pts with the vagotomy was found. Within several years after gastric operation the patient must be carefully evaluated and adequate supplementation of Ca and vitamin D is strongly recommended.