Retrospective study of operations for peptic ulcer.

Over a period of 20 years, 1,109 operations were performed for peptic ulcer. The site was duodenal in 873, gastric in 161 and marginal in 75. Eighty-three closures of perforations resulted in eight deaths and 28 second operations. Excluding closure of perforation and operation for marginal ulcer, the definitive operations and postoperative mortality were 446 gastric resections and 3.5 per cent; 181 truncal vagotomy with gastric resection and 1.6 per cent, and 326 truncal vagotomy with drainage and 3.2 per cent. Recurrence after operation for gastric ulcer was 5.3 per cent and for duodenal ulcer, 7.2 per cent. Based on the total number of operations for duodenal ulcer, a recurrence occurred after 348 gastric resections, 9.2 per cent; after 146 vagotomy with resection, 2.0 per cent, and after 309 vagotomy with drainage, 7.4 per cent.