This website cannot replace a visit to the doctor’s office. Consult with your physician if you have any medical problem!

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Aristotle, (384–322 BC), Greek philosopher and polymath

Gastro-Duodenal Ulcer Disease

This is a recurrent inflammatory disorder, which can be caused by several germs, the best known and studied being the Helicobacter pylori.

Despite huge literature, this entity remains poorly known and understood.

Fiberoptic gastroscopy is a straightforward method of diagnosis, but outside of frank disease bouts its results are often inconclusive.

In my youth I reviewed the series of a big University Hospital over about 12-24 months and the result was astonishing not only for me, but also for my chief and elderly colleagues.

 Despite overt clinical signs, most of the time the endoscopist observed mere inflammation of the gastric antrum and duodenal bulbus.

Such results remain puzzling even nowadays for all practitioners.

As for myself, I find it obvious that the ulcer heals even without therapy, and what remains is only a slight inflammation on the spot.

Hence, if you read such a report, understand correctly that it is talking about a gastro-duodenal ulcer disease.

If, of course, it fits the clinical picture!

Later I trained in Radiology and became proficient in ultrasound.

I learned that by far the best modality for diagnosis of this entity is precisely echography.

Main reason is that on contradistinction to endoscopy it can be applied immediately and takes a few minutes.

A slight peri-visceral liquid crescent orients reliably the probe and then the ulcer is readily visible as a dip in the mucosa.

On the contrary, endoscopy has to be planned days ahead because of a heavy schedule.

As to therapy, antibiotics are efficient but disturb the intestinal flora.

As you could infer from previous description, removing simply the patient from stressful professional environment is sufficient to close the ulcer and heal its signs and symptoms.