Surgical therapy of stenosing duodenal ulcer--results of an uncontrolled comparative study

In an uncontrolled trial on 77 patients we investigated the results of different surgical procedures in stenosis secondary to duodenal ulcer. The assignment to a procedure was dependent on the preference of the surgeon. The follow-up investigation after a mean observation time of 40-42 months was performed without knowledge of the surgical procedure. The postoperative mortality was 6.6% after resection, 0% after vagotomy and drainage. Postoperative sequelae were lowest in highly selective vagotomy + gastroduodenostomy (Visick I in 15 out of 17). After resection only 15 out of 33 had Visick I. The worst result was obtained after selective vagotomy and pyloric dilatation (4 out of 9 Visick IV). This procedure has been given up.