Technique of Antroduodenectomy Without Ulcer Excision as a Safe Alternative Treatment for Bleeding Chronic Duodenal Ulcers

Background The treatment of a bleeding chronic posterior duodenal ulcer, with bleeding recurrence or persistence despite endoscopic therapy, requires surgical treatment and constitutes a challenge for the surgeon; furthermore such chronic ulcers are often wide and sclerotic, so the surgeon needs to avoid the risk of recurrent bleeding if conservative surgery is applied. If radical surgery must be performed, the greater risk involves duodenal leakage, hepatic hilar injury, or pancreatic injury. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and complications arising from a surgical procedure, described by Dubois in 1971 (Gastrectomy and gastroduodenal anastomosis for post-bulbar ulcers and peptic ulcers of the second part of the duodenum. J Chir 101:177–186). This operation involves antroduonectomy with gastroduodenal anastomosis. It is similar to a Billroth I gastrectomy but without dissection of the ulcer. Materials and methods We retrospectively studied the medical data of patients who underwent this procedure for the treatment of bleeding chronic posterior duodenal ulcers during the past 20 years. Results There were 28 such patients admitted to our institution for emergency surgery, who went on to be treated by the Dubois procedure. Ulcerous disease was efficiently treated without rebleeding or duodenal leakage. The mortality rate was 17%; most deaths resulted from medical failure in older patients suffering from massive bleeding. The rate of medical complications reached 21%. Surgical complications developed in 14% of patients. Conclusions The Dubois antroduodenectomy is a safe and effective surgical procedure for the treatment of bleeding chronic duodenal ulcers. The number of fatal outcomes among patients with this condition remains high, particularly in older and vulnerable patients experiencing massive bleeding.