[Surgical treatment of patients with giant stomach ulcers]

Abstract

The authors analyse 59 cases with giant gastric ulcers (measuring 3 cm or more in diameter) treated by surgery, which accounted for 10.7% of all the operations conducted for gastric ulcers. It is shown that giant gastric ulcers are complicated and recur most frequently. Planned operations were performed on 56 patients, 3 patients underwent emergency operations at the peak of hemorrhage, the stomach was resected in all of them. Total postoperative mortality was 3.4%, no fatal outcomes occurred in emergency operations. The authors conclude that giant gastric ulcers should be treated by operation after 2-3-week course of preoperative management. Resection of the stomach is the operation of choice.