Surgical tactics and causes of death in ulcer gastroduodenal bleedings

: 4212 patients with ulcer gastrointestinal bleedings were treated during 1990-2007 years. 364 patients had gastric ulcers, other patients had duodenal ulcers. 1819 patients (43.2%) were operated. 418 patients (23%) were operated due to ineffective endoscopic hemostasis and recurrent bleedings. 409 patients (22.5%) underwent urgent operations because of risk for recurrent bleeding. Elective operations were carried out to 1358 patients (74.7%). Postoperative lethality amounted 5.8% including 19.1% lethality after emergency operations, 4.2% lethality - after urgent operations and 0.8% lethality - after delayed operations. The general hospital lethality amounted 3.3%. Lethality can be decreased by extension of indications for urgent operations, preventing recurrent bleedings.