Mortality of perforated duodenal ulcer treated by simple suture

Abstract

A 10-year experience is reported of 344 patients undergoing surgical treatment of perforated duodenal ulcer; almost all were treated by surgeons in training and all but 12 patients by simple suture of the perforation. The very low operative mortality of 2.9 per cent indicates the safety of simple suture closure in the hands of the inexperienced surgeon. Analysis of the régime of management of the 10 patients who died suggests that reduction in mortality might follow greater use of non-operative treatment in patients with severe complicating cardiorespiratory disease.