Between 1972 and 1981, 290 patients underwent emergency surgery in this Department for hemorrhagic (n = 104) or perforated (n = 186) gastric or duodenal ulcer. The introduction of cimetidine in 1977 did not influence the annual number of operations for complicated ulcer. Operative mortality was 15% for haemorrhage and 11% for perforation. Age, associated diseases, total bleeding, and delay between perforation and surgery were the most significant risk factors. In the case of inaugural complication or of brief peptic disease, simple closure, with a recurrence rate of 21%, remains the procedure of choice.