The preceding monograph: ''Vagotomy - latest advances", Springer-Verlag, 1974 ed. by F. Holle and S. Andersson reported an innovation in surgery: the so-called "selective proximal vago tomy (spv) with pyloroplasty (pypl)". The usefulness of the method was put to the test in cases of peptic ulcer disease and in dog experiments. No claim was made - as some reviewers erroneously supposed - that the method was a comprehensive presentation of the surgery of peptic ulcer disease or even that it offered a patent solution to this subject Instead, it should be regarded as the initial step towards this goal. The clinical results obtained during the years 1964-74 encouraged us to pursue this line of approach with a view of reaching a stomachpreserving or non-resective method in peptic ulcer surgery and to test the appli cability of the method to other benign disorders of the stomach. After 16 years of testing and experience with over 2000 cases S (Dec. 1t. 1979) of selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty, supplemented by advanced studies on the pathophysiology of the method, an additional volume is now proposed: "Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty, advances 1975-1980", Springer-Verlag 1980. This subsequent volume deals primarily with improvements and findings made during the last 5 years. It also refers to important questions concerning the practical performance of the method which arose from congresses and discussions in this field. These are: 1. Definition, efficiency and effects of the model: spv + pypl. 2.
