Surgical treatment of peptic ulcer--the role of conventional surgery.

There is no ideal operation for peptic ulcer disease and sound surgical judgement is needed in choosing an operation for a specific indication in the individual patient. Highly selective vagotomy is currently the operation of choice for uncomplicated duodenal ulcer, and Billroth I gastrectomy remains the procedure of choice for uncomplicated gastric ulcer, but a variety of procedures are used in the management of the complications of peptic ulcer disease with vagotomy and drainage being the most frequently used and valued procedure.