[Surgery of peptic ulcer 10 years after the introduction of anti-H2 agents]

Abstract

To evaluate the actual rate of both elective and emergency surgical operations for peptic ulcer, a questionnaire on the incidence of these operations was sent to 60 european departments of digestive surgery. 28 centers entered the trial, with the following results: 1,800 patients operated on; marked decrease of elective operations (100 percent of the centers); High decrease of emergency operations for hemorrhagic ulcer (80 percent of the centers). Decrease of emergency operations for perforation (50 percent of the centers). Decrease of operations for stenosis (70 percent of the centers). No-responders ulcers (ever more rare) and acute complications of patients with acute ulcer (elderly patients, under steroid or chemotherapy or intensive care) represent the resting indications to surgery. These results confirm the decline of surgery ten years after the introduction of H2 receptor antagonists.