Background/aims: First results from 14 different centers applying a personal procedure for the treatment of duodenal ulcer by laparoscopic surgery.
Methodology: One hundred and thirty-six patients were operated on in 14 surgical centers between January 1991 and February 1995. All patients underwent posterior truncal vagotomy (PTV) and anterior linear gastrectomy (ALG) for chronic duodenal ulcer.
Results: The mean duration of operation was 65 min (range: 25-180) and there were no peroperative complications or deaths. Immediate post-operative morbidity rate was 2-9%, with a mean hospital stay of 3-1 days (range: 2-13). A total of 131 patients were evaluated between 6 and 33 months (mean: 25) after operation. Of these, 126 (96.2%) were graded as Visick I or II. Four (3.0%) were Visick III, and one patient (0.8%) was considered Visick IV. Gastric function studies were performed in 45 patients before and after operation, with a maximum acid output reduction of 83% 3 months after the operation
Conclusions: Laparoscopic PTV with ALG constitutes a simple, efficient, rapid and safe method in the treatment of patients with chronic duodenal ulcer.