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Stomach ulcers remain one of the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
In the past, its occurrence was associated mainly with stress, and the lack of effective treatment, unfortunately, too often led to complications of the disease that required surgical intervention and often partial or complete gastrectomy. Today it is known that the invasion of Helicobacter pylorii bacteria is largely responsible for the formation of gastric ulcers, which can be effectively combated with antibiotic therapy. Complications of peptic ulcer disease are now much less common, and therefore far less mutilating operations are performed.
An ulcer is a deep defect in the lining of the stomach that causes a number of symptoms:
– upper abdominal pain or discomfort that occurs 1-3 hours after a meal
– pain symptoms often appear at night or early in the morning
– they resolve after a meal or the use of antacids
– nausea and vomiting may occur
– the course is often asymptomatic and only the occurrence of complications suggests the presence of an ulcer
These complications include bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract, presenting as coffee grounds or bloody vomiting, or black stools, and requiring prompt medical attention using a gastroscope to treat the bleeding vessel.
Another complication is the perforation of the stomach wall caused by an ulcer that penetrates too deeply. The patient experiences very severe, sudden epigastric pain, and peritonitis develops rapidly. In this case, surgery is necessary.
Pyloric stenosis may also occur, manifested by nausea and profuse vomiting. It disappears under the influence of pharmacological treatment, and if it is the result of permanent scarring changes, it requires surgical treatment.
med. Aleksandra Czachowska
The best gastroenterologist