Stomal obstruction after vagotomy in the treatment of obstructing peptic ulcer

A retrospective evaluation of postoperative gastric atony was made on forty patients operated on for obstructing duodenal ulcer. The incidence of this complication was only 3.1 per cent (one patient in thirty-two) in those undergoing antrectomy and vagectomy, and did not occur in eight treated by subtotal gastrectomy. In light of the pathophysiology of postoperative gastric atony in patients with obstruction and in view of the undesirable side effects of gastrectomy, it is believed that antrectomy with vagotomy is the procedure of choice for this condition.