The four to eight year results of the Sheffield trial of elective duodenal ulcer surgery--highly selective or truncal vagotomy?

Abstract

In a prospective randomized trial between June 1973 and July 1978 highly selective vagotomy (HSV) was compared with truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty (TVP) in 137 male patients undergoing elective surgery for chronic duodenal ulceration. Ninety per cent of patients were followed up for between 49 and 102 months (mean 77). A good result was obtained in 49 of 59 patients (83 per cent) after HSV compared with 41 of 64 (64 per cent) after TVP (P less than 0.02). The recurrent ulcer rate was 8.8 per cent after HSV and 9.4 per cent after TVP. Dumping and diarrhoea were significantly commoner after TVP (P less than 0.05). We believe that HSV is a better operation than TVP for the treatment of uncomplicated duodenal ulcer.