Long-term recurrence patterns following proximal gastric vagotomy

Six-year results of a prospective, randomized trial of selective proximal vagotomy with and without pyloroplasty in the treatment of duodenal, pyloric, and prepyloric ulcers

In a consecutive series of patients with uncomplicated prepyloric, pyloric, or duodenal ulcer, 39 patients were randomly allocated to selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty, and 40 patients to selective proximal vagotomy alone with no operative mortality. Before surgery, all patients had undergone H2-receptor antagonist treatment. No patient was lost for follow-up. At an average follow-up of 6 years, recurrent ulcer was recorded in 15% and 20%, respectively, after selective proximal vagotomy with and without pyloroplasty. Three of 14 recurrent ulcers were asymptomatic. Epigastric pain with or without ulcer was significantly less common after selective proximal vagotomy with (13%) than without pyloroplasty (40%). Mild diarrhea or mild dumping was recorded in a few patients. The overall results were very good or good (Visick I or II) in 77% and 55% (significant difference) after vagotomy with and without pyloroplasty, respectively, and in 82% and 58%, if asymptomatic ulcers were graded as Visick I or II results. Of the 27 patients with Visick III or IV results, three patients needed no treatment (asymptomatic ulcers), and 10 patients had no symptoms during medical treatment. Two patients with vagotomy and pyloroplasty and nine with vagotomy alone were reoperated. There were no deaths, and the results were graded as Visick I or II in 10 patients and as Visick III in one patient. The authors conclude that selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty is superior to vagotomy alone for the treatment of prepyloric-pyloric and duodenal ulcer. Recurrent ulcer after vagotomy has a benign course and responds well to ranitidine treatment.

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.

Parietal cell vagotomy and dilatation for peptic duodenal stricture

Gastric outlet obstruction due to peptic duodenal stricture (pyloric stenosis) was treated with parietal cell vagotomy and dilatation of the stricture in 32 patients. Follow-up is in the range of 5 years in 37.4% of the patients, while 6 to 10 years follow-up is available in 62.4% of the patients. At their last follow-up, 74.9% of the patients were in either Visick 1 or 2 clinical status. Recurrence rates have been 3.1% at 1 year, 9.3% at 5 years, and 21.8% after 6 to 10 years follow-up. There has been only one instance (3.1%) of restenosis. Two patients required reoperation because of recurrence and one of them died.