Complications of ulcer disease

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, pyloric obstruction and canceration are the four main complications of ulcer disease.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common complication of ulcer. About13 patients have a history of bleeding, and patients with duodenal ulcer are more prone to bleeding than patients with gastric ulcer. Patients with slow or small bleeding rate mainly show black stool (tarry stool or brown stool) or positive stool occult blood test, while patients with heavy and urgent bleeding show hematemesis, and then tarry stool may appear.

Perforation occurs when the ulcer disease develops deeply and penetrates the stomach wall or duodenal wall. After perforation, the contents of stomach and duodenum may penetrate into abdominal cavity, causing acute diffuse peritonitis. It needs surgical repair.

The pylorus is located at the junction of the stomach and duodenum and is the outlet of the stomach. Pyloric obstruction mostly occurs in duodenal bulb or pyloric ulcer. Due to the inflammation, congestion and edema of the tissues around the ulcer or the repeated attacks of the ulcer, local scars are formed and contracted, which narrows the pyloric outlet. It is characterized by fullness and discomfort in the upper abdomen, aggravation after meals, frequent vomiting, which can be relieved after vomiting. Vomit is undigested food.

A few gastric ulcers can become cancerous, and duodenal ulcers rarely become cancerous.