Twenty‐five years after Billroth II gastrectomy for duodenal ulcer

One thousand twenty‐five patients underwent a Billroth II resection for duodenal ulcer between 1948 and 1956. The operative mortality rate was 2.4%. At follow‐up between 22 and 30 years later, 522 had died and 423 patients were traced. Recurrent ulcer appeared in 2.6% of the cases. Postgastrectomy symptoms occurred with the following frequency: dumping 10%, diarrhea 5%, vomiting 7%, and pain 4%. Anemia developed in 18%, hypoalbuminemia and hypocalcemia in 40 and 15%, respectively. Eleven percent had lost more than 10 kg in weight. Tuberculosis was found in 3% of the cases. While 90% of the patients were satisfied with the result, 10% were failures. The overall mortality rate was significantly increased because of suicide. Gastric carcinoma was the cause of death no more often than expected.