Studies on maximal acid output in patients with abnormal aortic aneurysms.

The incidence of co-existent peptic ulceration in a series of 123 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms was found to be 26%. Following graft replacement of the aneurysm only one patient suffered complications attributable to peptic ulceration in the form of a small haematemesis. The maximal acid output of nineteen patients was compared to sixteen age-matched controls, and suggested that there was no acid hypersecretion associated with abdominal aneurysms. In view of these findings it was felt that vagotomy and pyloroplasty during the aneurysm repair was not warranted, and that instilling Aludrox down the nasogastric tube in the early-post operative period to reduce the amount of free acid was effective in reducing the incidence of significant complications from pre-existing peptic ulceration or stress ulceration.