California medicine
-
Gastric and duodenal ulcers are common conditions. There is a good natural tendency to heal but medical care does facilitate healing and the prevention of relapse. ⋯ With gastric ulcer, careful clinical and radiological observations will enable simple and malignant ulcers to be distinguished with considerable accuracy. The risk of gastrectomy is less than the risk of leaving a persistently unhealed ulcer, and should be undertaken if ulcers remain unhealed or if there are frequent relapses threatening economic security.