Treatment and diagnostics for abroad

Examination before treatment of stomach ulcers abroad

If a stomach ulcer is suspected, the patient undergoes a series of laboratory tests to detect the H. Pylori bacterium, including blood, stool, and respiratory tests. The breath test is the most reliable. During the procedure, the patient takes in a small amount of radioactive carbon. The bacterium destroys this substance, forming radioactive carbon dioxide. Then the patient exhales into a special bag. If a decomposition product is detected, it means that a bacterium is present.

Visualization of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum is provided by endoscopy. A small flexible tube with a camera at the end passes through the mouth and transmits the image to the screen. If the doctor finds an ulcer, a biopsy is also performed during the procedure (a tissue sample is taken to look for malignant cells).

An additional way to visualize stomach ulcers is CT with contrast. The patient takes a liquid with a small amount of barium, which covers the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. As a result, all the damage on the X-ray becomes more noticeable.

Treatment of stomach ulcers abroad

Medical therapy is mainly used abroad for the treatment of stomach ulcers. Most people take medications for 4-6 weeks to kill all the H. Pylori bacteria and keep acid levels low until the ulcer heals completely. The following drugs are used for this:

• antibiotics such as Amoxil, Tindamax, and others;
• proton pump inhibitors — Omeprazole, Rabeprazole, Pantoprazole and a number of other drugs — reduce the level of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, blocking the functions of parietal cells;
• histamine blockers — Ranitidine, Cimetidine, Fomatidine – also reduce the acidity of gastric juice.;
• Antacids help with pain by neutralizing excessive acidity in the stomach;
• cytoprotective drugs such as Misoprostol protect the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

Surgical treatment of stomach ulcers abroad

For patients with stomach ulcers, surgery is only necessary if complications occur. As a rule, one of the following operations is performed:

• Vagotomy is the removal of one or more nerves of the stomach in order to reduce acid production.;
• pyloroplasty is the expansion of the lower opening of the stomach;
• Partial gastrectomy is the removal of a painful part of an organ.

Surgical treatment of stomach ulcers abroad includes minimally invasive approaches using a laparoscope or a Da Vinci robotic system.