Billroth I or II resection was adopted in the treatment of 85 subjects with simple or complicated gastroduodenal ulcer. Operative mortality was 1.4% in surgery of choice and 18.7% where emergency management was required to combat perforation of serious haemorrhage. Follow-up after 1-2 yr showed that marked benefit had been obtained from the operation in 83%, while partial success was achieved in 15,5%. Postoperative peptic ulcer was observed in one case only. Comparison with a series of 120 patients subjected of choice or in emergency to truncal vagotomy and gastric drainage during the same period for duodenal ulcer and followed for 2-6yr (no operative deaths and complete success in over 91%) made it clear trat, while resection was attended by a smaller number of recurrences (1.5% as opposed to 2.9%), this advantages was obtained at the price of a greater operative risk and by no means negligible long-term sequelae.