Burning epigastric pain, meal-related symptoms, and sudden complications like bleeding or perforation make peptic ulcer disease a classic Surgery Shelf topic.

In this episode, Chris and Mars break down the two major causes, Helicobacter pylori and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, then walk through the key differences between gastric and duodenal ulcers, how to diagnose them, and when to use endoscopy.

They also cover the high-yield complications you cannot miss, including bleeding, perforation, gastric outlet obstruction, and malignancy risk, plus the core treatment plan with proton pump inhibitors and bismuth quadruple therapy.