PYLORIC CHANNEL ULCERS - MANAGEMENT AND 3-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Twenty-five patients with pyloric channel ulcers are presented. They were predominantly males (84%), with a mean age of 54 years. Four patients were operated upon in the initial admission because of gastric outlet obstruction in three and persistent bleeding in one. Twenty-one patients received H2-antagonist treatment (ranitidine 150 mg or cimetidine 400 mg twice a day). Clinical and endoscopic healing rates were 76% and 38% respectively at 6 weeks, and 91% and 85% respectively at 12 weeks of treatment. The recurrence rate at an average of 3 years of follow-up period on maintenance treatment (ranitidine 150 mg or cimetidine 400 mg nightly) was 65%. Three patients were operated upon during the follow-up period due to persistent symptoms in two and recurrence with obstruction in one. Surgical procedures were vagotomy + drainage (five patients) and vagotomy + antrectomy (two patients). There were no recurrences in surgically treated patients at an average of 3.5 years of follow-up, and all were graded as Visick I or II

ENDOSCOPIC SPHINCTEROTOMY FOR THE TREATMENT OF CYSTIC DUCT LEAK FOLLOWING LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Two patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy had postoperative cystic duct leak from slipped metallic clips. One patient presented with biliary ascites and the other with biliocutaneous fistula. Open surgery done in the first patient was not successful in controlling the fistula. Rapid closure of the fistulae was achieved in both cases using endoscopic sphincterotomy