Mechanism of Control of Hemorrhage from Duodenal Ulcer by Gastric Hypothermia

LOCAL GASTRIC HYPOTHERMIA has been employed successfully for control of massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in a variety of pathological conditions. The beneficial effects derived from this form of management in massive, uncontrolled hemorrhage from duodenal ulcer have been especially gratifying. Bleeding gastric lesions also have responded to this form of therapy, but less uniformly. 1 Previous experiments have shown that local gastric hypothermia results in a 66% decrease in gastric blood flow. 2,3 Marked decreases in the rate of gastric secretion and in the digestive activity of the gastric juice secreted also have been observed. 2,4-6 Despite accumulating knowledge, the mechanism of control and arrest of hemorrhage from ulcers of the duodenum remains obscure. Gastric secretion and the digestive activity of the juice are markedly inhibited at all temperatures below 30 C (86 F), but temperatures of 8 to 10 C (46.4 to 50 F) are required for