[Selective proximal vagotomy (SPV) - complete intraoperative control or not?].

The rate of recurrent duodenal ulcer following selective proximal vagotomy (SPV) has been assessed in two different groups of patients. Completion of vagotomy was left to the surgeons judgement in the first 50 consecutive cases, while in the following 50 cases a vagomotor electrostimulation device ("Vagorec") was used intraoperatively for control. The failure rate of 14% in the first group could be reduced to 2% in the second one. We believe that technique and success of SPV can be checked easily using this device. It is an educational remedy for the learning surgeon in order to avoid an incomplete SPV as well as it is a necessary tool for the experienced one.