[Ulcer hemorrhage in elderly patients: primary conservative or surgical therapy?]

Forty-six patients over 70 years admitted with a Forrest Ia-/IIa-peptic ulcer bleeding were prospectively recorded. Primarily surgical patients underwent early elective operations in 42% of cases with a mortality of 16% compared to 31% mortality in patients primarily treated conservatively in other departments. In our opinion even the older patient gains by a more aggressive surgical treatment of peptic ulcer bleeding.