[The treatment of ulcerative gastrointestinal hemorrhages in the middle-aged and elderly]

Under analysis were results of treatment of 123 patients, 60 years of age and older who had ulcerous gastro-intestinal bleedings. Emergency operations were performed on 46 patients, postponed operations on 30 patients and there were 47 planned operations. Out of 38 patients operated upon for resection of the stomach 5 patients had incompetent sutures of the stomach and duodenum, 4 patients had purulent complications, 9 patients died. Out of 11 patients subjected to simple suturing of the bleeding ulcer only one endured the operation, 10 patients died at the early postoperative period, 3 of them of recurrent bleedings. Vagotomy was made in 65 patients, 6 of them died. The amount of complications was minimum. Long-term results were followed up in all the alive patients at the period from 1 to 5 years. After suturing and dissection of the bleeding ulcer in none of 4 patients were observed good and satisfactory results. After resection of the stomach good results were obtained in 8 of 29 patients, satisfactory in 7 and unsatisfactory in 14 patients. Good long-term results were noted in all 59 patients after vagotomy.