Proximal gastric vagotomy: follow-up at 10-20 years.

From August 1969 to December 1989, 600 patients had elective proximal gastric vagotomy for duodenal ulceration with an operative mortality of 0.2 per cent. Of these, 372 patients had surgery over 10 years ago. Three hundred and forty-two patients survived for more than 10 years and, in a prospective study, 305 were reviewed, forming the basis of this 10-20-year follow-up report. Forty-six (15 per cent) have had recurrent ulceration; 80 per cent of these developed symptoms within 5 years and no patient has had recurrence after 13 years. Although 29 patients required reoperation for recurrent ulceration, the current patient satisfaction rate for Visick grades I and II is 92 per cent. Only two patients required reoperation because of gastric stasis. It is concluded that proximal gastric vagotomy is a safe and satisfactory first choice operation for duodenal ulceration.