Vagotomy of the fundic gland area of the stomach without drainage. A definitive treatment for perforated duodenal ulcer.

Twelve patients in Sweden and thirteen patients in Houston underwent selective proximal vagotomy or parietal cell vagotomy, respectively, for the treatment of perforated duodenal ulcer. A drainage procedure was performed in four of the former and in none of the latter group of patients. There were no operative complications and no operative deaths. Twenty-two of the patients were followed from six months to four years. No patient has recurrent ulcer, dumping, diarrhea, or other significant gastric symptoms during the follow-up period. At the time of their last follow-up, the results were considered excellent or good in all twenty-two patients. The results of this study suggest that SPV or PCV without drainage may be the method of choice for the definitive treatment of all patients with perforated duodenal ulcer who have no obstruction and no contraindications to an operative procedure of greater magnitude than simple closure.