Vagotomy for relief of pain in some upper gastrointestinal neoplasms.

At the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, upper gastrointestinal neoplasms are usually seen very late when they have become unresectable. The resectable upper gastrointestinal neoplasms seen in this institution are less than ten percent of all the cases seen. The reasons for such delay before presentation are ignorance and fear of hospitals.Following an editorial by Merendino,(1) a study was conducted on ten patients who had inoperable upper gastrointestinal neoplasms. Even though the assessment of pain sensation has many variables, and there is a significant suggestive effect in any pain-relieving procedure, it is felt that vagotomy combined with any indicated diversion procedures definitely reduces the pain associated with terminal upper gastrointestinal neoplasms, while not affecting patient mortality.