[The role of surgery in the treatment of duodenal ulcer]

Abstract

If duodenal ulcer surgery has been limited since introduction of anti-H2, it keeps an important position. For chronic duodenal ulcer, surgery currently represent a reasonable alternative to medical treatment, owing to two operations, fundic vagotomy and more recently anterior lesser curve sero-myotomy + posterior truncal vagotomy; the permanent effect of surgery contrast with the only suspensive effect of medical treatment on ulcer disease. For ulcer complications, surgery is often mandatory, but in emergency, truncal vagotomy + drainage keeps a predominant position.