Congenital causes of duodenal ulcers in adults.

In seven cases of congenital anomalies in adults, duodenal obstruction and peptic ulcer disease developed. There were two cases of congenital duodenal web, two of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, two of annular pancreas, and one of a preduodenal portal vein. The diagnosis is seldom made preoperatively. In the four patients who had preoperative gastric analysis, the acid secretions were increased. Those patients who underwent endoscopy had changes consistent with hypertrophic secretory gastrophy and duodenitis. We believe that treatment should be directed toward relief of the duodenal obstruction and the reduction of basal acid secretion by truncal vagotomy in all such cases.