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A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to compare truncal vagotomy and drainage (TV), selective vagotomy and drainage (SV) and parietal cell vagotomy (PCV) as elective treatment for duodenal ulcer. Between 11 and 15 years post-operatively, 248 patients were available for study of the recurrent ulceration rate by a life table method and 197 patients could be studied with regard to post-vagotomy symptoms. The recurrent ulcer rates were TV 28.5%, SV 37.4% and PCV 39.3%. These differences were not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the Visick gradings among the three groups either before or after treatment of the failures. About two-thirds of the patients in each group were finally satisfied with their operation, often after second operations or prolonged medical treatment.