[The giant ulcer of the stomach. Notes concerning 30 cases (author's transl)].

The giant stomach ulcer can be defined as a crater measuring more than 30 mm in diameter. This variety of stomach ulcer represents 10-15% of the whole range of gastric ulcers, but they are not quite different from the nosologic point of view. It appears effectively that no etiopathogenic clinical or evolving particular factors can distinguish this kind of ulcer from the niches of normal size. To be taken into consideration is the risk of transforming into cancer which is multiplied by 3 or 5 times when compared with normal stomach ulcers, whence the importance of the endoscopy with many biopsies. In spite of the endoscopy the percentage of error is 5%, this is the reason for which, when in doubt, the more or less extensive gastric resection of the total gastrectomy is required with even more necessity then in normal cases of ulcers.