Association between medically induced achlorhydria of the stomach and a severe postoperative infection? A report of two cases.

Two cases are reported, where severe postoperative septic infection developed after gastric resection without surgical technical complication. Both patients had had long preoperative therapy with omeprazole and no perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis was given in either of the cases. The other of the cases was fatal. The need for an effective perioperative prophylaxis in gastric surgery together with drugs creating gastric achlorhydria is discussed.