Twelve-year follow-up of a prospective, randomized trial of selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty and selective proximal vagotomy with and without pyloroplasty for the treatment of duodenal, pyloric, and prepyloric ulcers

Abstract

Between 1973 and 1981, 161 patients with prepyloric, pyloric, or duodenal ulcers were randomly allocated to selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty, selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty, or selective proximal vagotomy alone. No significant differences in clinical results were found 3 years after surgery by Emås and Fernström (Am J Surg 1985; 149: 236-42). There was one postoperative death, and one patient lost to follow-up. Of 159 patients, 52 underwent selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty, 55 selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty, and 52 selective proximal vagotomy alone. Fifteen patients did not undergo endoscopy, but they had no epigastric complaints. From 1 to 16 years after surgery, recurrent ulcer was detected in 13%, 18%, and 23%, respectively, after selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty, selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty, or selective proximal vagotomy without pyloroplasty. Twenty-eight percent of the patients with recurrent ulcer had no symptoms and received no treatment. Sixteen patients died within 8 years after surgery of causes unrelated to the ulcer disease. At their final examination, 14 of the 16 patients had Visick I or II (modified Visick scale) results, and the disease that caused their deaths obscured evaluation in 2 patients. The remaining 143 patients were followed up for 8 to 16 years (average: 12 years). Epigastric pain with or without ulcer was recorded more often (significant) after selective proximal vagotomy alone (40%) than after selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty (17%) or selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty (14%). Bowel habits were unchanged in 96% of patients who underwent selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty or selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty and 100% of patients who had selective proximal vagotomy alone. Mild dumping tended to be more common after vagotomy with pyloroplasty but was a minor nuisance in only a few patients. Very good or good results (Visick I or II) were recorded in 75% of the patients after selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty or selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty or selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty and in 54% after selective proximal vagotomy alone (significant difference). Seventeen patients underwent reoperation with antrectomy and gastrojejunostomy Roux-en-Y (13 patients) or gastroduodenostomy (4 patients) with no mortality. The results of the reoperations were graded as Visick I or II results in all but one patient. The final grading, including the reoperations, were Visick I or II in 85% of patients after selective vagotomy with pyloroplasty and selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty and in 55% after selective proximal vagotomy alone (significant difference).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)