Perforated gastroduodenal ulcers. Factors affecting morbidity and mortality and the role of definitive surgery.

Retrospective analysis of twenty-eight patients with perforated gastric ulcers and 141 patients with perforated duodenal ulcer showed that delay in surgery increased operative mortality. Gastrectomy is advocated for gastric ulcers, and definitive ulcer surgery, not plication, for duodenal ulcers.