Laparoscopic management of peptic ulcer disease

Laparoscopic surgery has heralded a new era for the operative management of peptic ulcer disease. With a mean hospital stay of 3.5 days, a recurrence rate of 4% to 11%, and a morbidity from dumping and diarrhea of 1% to 2%, laparoscopic proximal gastric vagotomy can truly provide a good alternative to medical therapy. Despite the high cost of medical care and surgical equipment, a laparoscopic vagotomy should be cost effective compared with life-long pharmacologic management of peptic ulcer disease. Several different operative procedures have been discussed, with similar outcomes. The surgeon has a choice of several approaches, depending on his or her training and level of skill. As surgeons gain experience with laparoscopic surgery, we are able to offer consistently good results with low recurrence rates and negligible morbidity and mortality. Minimally invasive surgery has rekindled the operative treatment of peptic ulcer disease.