PEPTIC-ULCER AND DUODENAL STENOSIS - ROLE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

A 17-year-old boy who developed a symptomatic duodenal ulcer at 10 yea rs of age with melena, and was then treated continuously for 6 years w ith ranitidine therapy that only partially controlled symptoms and pep tic lesions, came to us with vomiting due to duodenal bulb stenosis an d active ulcer. Four months of omeprazole (40 mg/die o.m.) did not mod ify the endoscopic picture, The diagnosis of H. pylori infection and i ts treatment with triple therapy led to the cure of both duodenal ulce r and bulbar stenosis. Afterwards he remained asymptomatic without any lesions or complications for 18 months, This case illustrates that H. pylori eradication: a) is able to cure refractory duodenal ulcer; b) resolves severe complications such as duodenal stenosis.