|  | Conditions Treatments | Ulcers

Surgical Treatment of Perforation Due to Gastric Ulcer

Peptic ulcers, according to medicinenet.com, occur when the lining of the stomach or duodenum is eroded by stomach acid and forms a sore. Perforation occurs when the erosion is so bad that it eats a hole through the stomach lining or duodenum. This is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition because digestive juices and even food can leak through the eroded hole and into the body.

  1. Symptoms

    • The symptoms of a perforated ulcer require immediate treatment and include black or bloody stools, vomiting blood (that looks similar to coffee grounds) or entire stomach contents, or severe pain in the stomach area with or without vomiting (University of Maryland Medical Center).

    Conservative Treatment

    • Though once a common way to treat a perforated peptic ulcer, conservative measures are now the preferred method of treatment. Depending on the symptoms and the severity of the perforation, physicians may choose to treat the patient with antibiotics (to prevent infection) and acid reducers, with the expectation the perforation will heal on its own.

    Surgical Intervention

    • Surgery is reserved primarily to treat any complication from the perforation and is typically done laparoscopically. In a laparoscopic procedure, roughly three small incisions typically 1 inch long are made surrounding the abdomen. A small camera is fed through one hole while the other two are reserved for small surgical instruments. Laparoscopic surgery is preferred because the risks are less than with an open cavity surgery and recovery time is lessened.

Ulcers - Related Articles