ABSTRACT
duodenal ulcer is characterized by a break in the duodenal mucosa that has depth. Duodenitis, or inflammation of the duodenal mucosa, may accompany or precede an ulcer. The presentation of duodenal ulcers is not unlike that of gastric ulcers, and children may have abdominal pain as the chief complaint. Associated symptoms of a duodenal ulcer may include postprandial pain, regurgitation, bloating, belching, nausea, and vomiting. Duodenal ulcers can be considered as primary or secondary conditions. Zollinger–Ellison syndrome is a more specific example of a condition that is associated with duodenal ulcers due to extreme acid production. Peptic ulcers are four times more commonly found in the duodenal bulb than in the stomach. Duodenal ulceration can be the initial presentation of inflammatory bowel disease, tuberculosis, or opportunistic infections, such as cytomegalovirus. Duodenal ulcers heal well with acid suppression; however, they will reoccur if therapy is discontinued or if the H. pylori organisms are not eradicated.
