title: Changes in surgical strategies for peptic ulcers before and after the introduction of H2-receptor antagonists and endoscopic hemostasis.
abstract: A total of 902 surgical patients with peptic ulcer disease were evaluated to clarify the effects of H2-receptor antagonists and endoscopic hemostasis on surgical treatment. Following the introduction of these treatments to our institute in 1982, the number of operations performed annually decreased by 40%, or 36 cases per year. However, a remarkable increase in the frequency of surgical emergency intervention since 1982 was concurrently observed, with the ratio of emergency procedures to the total number of operated cases increasing to 72.5% in the last 5 years of the study. Moreover, intractability as an indication for surgery decreased to 34.1%, compared with an increase in the number of patients with bleeding and perforated ulcers requiring operation. There were 13 postoperative deaths recorded (1.4%). All of the deaths were in patients who had undergone emergency surgery in poor health. Of these 13 patients, 10 had bleeding ulcers. A study of bleeding ulcers for which endoscopic hemostasis had been unsuccessful revealed that shock on admission and a concomitant medical condition had been evident in all the patients who died, and in 52.2% and 30.4% of the survivors, respectively. The current study suggests that the frequency of high-risk patients requiring surgery is increasing since the introduction of H2-receptor antagonists and endoscopic hemostasis, and thus, prompt surgical treatment and intensive management for such patients is essential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ehime General Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakakihara
mesh_terms: D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D016558:Hemostasis, Endoscopic; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000601:surgery*; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists