Follow-up study in 402 patients after parietal cell vagotomy for duodenal ulcer.

In a recent six-year-period, a total of 402 patients underwent parietal cell vagotomy (PCV) for duodenal ulcer. An overall clinical assessment by Visik grading placed 328 (82%) in grade I, 56 (14%) in grade II, 12 (3%) in grade III and 4 (1%) with recurrent ulcer in grade IV. Results of the gastric secretory tests showed that the basal acid output (BAO) was reduced by 83.9% of the preoperative value, after 3 months, by 78.2% after one year, and by 65.3% and 66.4% after three and five years respectively. The maximal acid output (MAO) was reduced by 75.9% of the preoperative value after 3 months, by 45.3% after one year, by 40% and 42% after 3 and 5 years respectively. The radiological gastric emptying time showed no significant difference when compared to the preoperative value. The parietal cells showed significant ultrastructural changes six months after PCV, corresponding to maximum functional secretory depression. Two years after the operation, the parietal cells had regained their preoperative morphology.