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Long-or short-limb gastric bypass?

  • Published:
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether longer limb length improved results of gastric bypass in patients who were morbidly obese (body mass index <50 kg/m2) or superobese (body mass index >50 kg/m2). A total of 242 patients were followed for a mean of 5.5 years. The standard operation was a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with a 40 cm Roux limb and a 10 cm afferent limb. The long-limb operation had a 100 cm Roux limb and a 100 cm afferent limb. Morbidly obese patients did not benefit from a long-limb bypass. The final body mass index was 28.6 ±4.7 kg/m2 in the short-limb group and 28.5 ± 3.8 kg/m2 in the long-limb group. The superobese patients did benefit from a long-limb bypass. Final body mass index was 35.8 ±6.7 kg/m2 in the short-limb patients and 32.7 ±5.1 in the long-limb patients (P = 0.049). A subgroup of 20 patients, all of whom had a body mass index greater than 60 kg/m2, benefited the most from long-limb bypass. No macronutritional side effects unique to the long-limb bypass were encountered.

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MacLean, L.D., Rhode, B.M. & Nohr, C.W. Long-or short-limb gastric bypass?. J Gastrointest Surg 5, 525–530 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1091-255X(01)80091-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1091-255X(01)80091-3

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