Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty: Advances 1975¿1980

The preceding monograph: ''Vagotomy - latest advances", Springer-Verlag, 1974 ed. by F. Holle and S. Andersson reported an innovation in surgery: the so-called "selective proximal vago­ tomy (spv) with pyloroplasty (pypl)". The usefulness of the method was put to the test in cases of peptic ulcer disease and in dog experiments. No claim was made - as some reviewers erroneously supposed - that the method was a comprehensive presentation of the surgery of peptic ulcer disease or even that it offered a patent solution to this subject Instead, it should be regarded as the initial step towards this goal. The clinical results obtained during the years 1964-74 encouraged us to pursue this line of approach with a view of reaching a stomachpreserving or non-resective method in peptic ulcer surgery and to test the appli­ cability of the method to other benign disorders of the stomach. After 16 years of testing and experience with over 2000 cases S (Dec. 1t. 1979) of selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty, supplemented by advanced studies on the pathophysiology of the method, an additional volume is now proposed: "Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty, advances 1975-1980", Springer-Verlag 1980. This subsequent volume deals primarily with improvements and findings made during the last 5 years. It also refers to important questions concerning the practical performance of the method which arose from congresses and discussions in this field. These are: 1. Definition, efficiency and effects of the model: spv + pypl. 2.