Jejunoileal bypass. Late metabolic sequelae and weight gain

The history of metabolic and bariatric surgery: Development of standards for patient safety and efficacy

Weight loss surgery, also referred to as bariatric surgery, has been in existence since the 1950's. Over the decades, it has been demonstrated to successfully achieve meaningful and sustainable weight loss in a large number of patients who undergo these procedures. Additionally, the benefits observed across a number of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia, are often to a degree, independent of the weight loss, thus the term "metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS)" has become a better descriptor. Throughout its long history, MBS has evolved from an era of high morbidity and mortality to one of laudable safety despite the high-risk nature of the patients undergoing these major gastrointestinal procedures. This article will describe the historic evolution of MBS and concentrate on those events that were instrumental in reducing the morbidity of these operations.

Severe Obesity: A Growing Health Concern A.S.P.E.N. Should Not Ignore

The definition of malnutrition in the published standards of the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) is any derangement in the normal nutrition status and includes overnutrition, commonly referred to as obesity. The incidence of obesity is increasing and reaching epidemic proportions in the United States and even worldwide. This has significant financial impact as our society spends billions of dollars on fad diets, commercial weight-loss programs, nutrition and dietary supplements, prescription and over-the-counter medications, and health clubs. Another approximately dollars 100 billion are spent to treat the medical consequences of obesity. Currently, for those patients with intractable morbid obesity, defined as having a body mass index >40 kg/m2, surgery offers the only option for achieving meaningful and sustainable weight loss. The resultant weight loss dramatically improves health and decreases the cost of health care for these patients. Years of refinement in technology and the introduction of safer and less invasive procedures have dramatically reduced the short-term morbidities and long-term metabolic consequences of these procedures. This address will review the field of weight loss (bariatric) surgery and will offer a compelling request for A.S.P.E.N. to include obesity in its fabric.

Biliopancreatic diversion in the surgical treatment of morbid obesity

Biliopancreatic diversion is a malabsorptive technique of bariatric surgery that has gained wide acceptance in the Western world. It is performed in one of two ways: In its classic form it consists of partial gastrectomy with a Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy; in its duodenal switch form a vertical sleeve gastrectomy is combined with a duodenoenterostomy. Both techniques realize diversion of biliopancreatic juice, thereby creating a mild form of malabsorption. Weight loss has been approximately 70% of initial excess weight, exceeding that obtained with most other bariatric procedures. Iron, calcium, and vitamin deficiencies may occur, especially with classic biliopancreatic diversion, and must be prevented with adequate supplements during vigorous follow-up. Weight loss is followed by a substantial reduction in the co-morbidities that are present in many morbidly obese patients. Biliopancreatic diversion should be included in each obesity clinic program and be proposed for morbidly obese patients who are having difficulty with the prospect of continuous restraint of food intake or problems due to failed gastric restrictive interventions. The postoperative results in such patients have been good and have substantially improved quality of life and self-esteem in this category of morbidly obese patients.

Current status of bariatric surgery in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Bariatric surgery (from the Greek words baros meaning 'weight' and iatrikos 'the art of healing') is a rapidly evolving branch of surgical science. The aim is to induce major weight loss in those whose obesity places them at high risk of serious health problems. In an attempt to balance the risks of surgery against the benefits of weight loss, bariatric operations are currently performed only in the morbidly obese, or those with a body mass index (BMI) > 35 kgm(-2) who already have developed comorbidity such as type 2 diabetes. Although weight loss is beneficial for obese patients with diabetes, current medical treatment for obesity is difficult. In contrast, observational studies show a major impact of bariatric surgery on diabetes, raising the question whether this approach should be used more widely to treat diabetes in obese patients? If bariatric surgery were shown to be the best way to treat diabetes in obese subjects the implications for health services would be wide-ranging. Bariatric surgery leads to withdrawal of diabetic treatment in about 60% or more of patients, and reductions of therapy for many others. Although data on bariatric surgery in subjects with diabetes are provocative, most studies have been uncontrolled or flawed in other ways. Most importantly, bariatric surgery has not yet been compared against standard medical treatment for diabetes in randomized controlled trials with diabetes-specific endpoints in all relevant patient groups. Potential indications for bariatric surgery are discussed, and the unanswered questions that need to be addressed by clinical trials are summarized. Although small numbers of patients may be interested in bariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes, current data are insufficient to endorse its wide scale use for this indication. Until essential studies are undertaken the role and economics of bariatric surgery in the diabetic clinic will remain uncertain.

Surgical treatment of morbid obesity

Morbid obesity significantly reduces life span and is associated with much co-morbid pathology. Diet, behavioural therapy and drug therapy are largely unsuccessful. Surgical treatment offers the best hope. This review summarizes the rationale for treatment and the available surgical options.

Multiple nutritional deficiencies and metabolic complications 20 years after jejunoileal bypass surgery

We have reported a patient with multiple nutritional and metabolic abnormalities following JI bypass. Most of her biochemical abnormalities were corrected with cautious but vigorous supplementation, and her nutritional status improved, as documented by several positive nitrogen balances and normalization of most of her vitamin and trace element serum concentrations. This case clearly demonstrates many of the metabolic complications that can result from the JI bypass procedure and the meticulous followup that is needed during nutritional rehabilitation.

Example of intermediate care: the new Lambeth Community Care Centre

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A 13-year review of jejunoileal bypass

One hundred and eighty patients had a jejunoileal bypass performed during the years 1971-1982. By leaving only 14 in. (35 cm) of intestine in continuity a mean weight loss of 34.4 per cent (s.d. = 8.5) was achieved over 2 years and, unless the operation had to be reversed for complications, this weight loss was maintained. The improvement in quality of life for a majority of patients should not be undervalued. Two-thirds of patients required admission for complications and eight patients died (4 per cent). Many of these problems were provoked by an inability to control eating. There have been no hospital deaths since 1976 which we attribute to better management of complications and a policy of early reversal for patients with excessive weight loss and signs of metabolic failure. Despite performing jejunoileal bypass less often in recent years we are still frequently reversing patients with electrolyte disturbances, metabolic failure, urinary calculi or arthritis. Thirty patients (16.7 per cent) have been reversed, half more than 5 years after bypass. Metabolic failure may occur even after many years of stable weight reduction. Because this is not well known the insidious onset of new weight loss and malaise may not be recognized, or not associated with the bypass many years before. Indefinite outpatient surveillance is mandatory. Changes in the operation have not significantly affected results. There has been no serious liver dysfunction in the 7:7:CJ group but this may reflect better management of lesser metabolic disturbances. Jejunoileal bypass remains the most effective operation for gross obesity and, with experience, can be performed safely. However, the complication rate and difficulty maintaining satisfactory follow-up on large numbers of young patients makes it an unacceptable procedure on any major scale.

Preservation of intestinal structure and function despite weight loss produced by ileal transposition in rats

Transposition of a segment of ileum into the proximal small intestine affects eating behavior and body weight in rats. The effect of ileal transposition versus jejunal transposition or sham laparotomy on small intestinal structure and function was studied. Rats ate less after ileal transposition and lost weight compared to the other groups. Small intestinal and pancreatic mass increased after ileal transposition, especially the mass of the transposed segment. Specific activities of the brush border disaccharidases, sucrase and lactase, were not significantly affected by surgery. Enzyme activities in the proximal small intestine increased after ileal transposition when the increased mucosal mass was taken into account. The results of these studies confirm that ileal transposition depresses food intake. The lack of adverse effects on intestinal structure and function may represent an advantage of ileal transposition over other intestinal surgeries for weight reduction.

Randomized trial of diet and gastroplasty compared with diet alone in morbid obesity

We compared the weight-reducing effect of diet and gastroplasty with that of diet alone in a randomized trial in 60 morbidly obese patients followed for two years. Initial median body weight was 120 kg in patients randomly assigned to gastroplasty plus diet and 115 kg in those assigned to diet alone. Maximum weight losses did not differ significantly between the groups (26.1 kg in the gastroplasty group and 22.0 kg in the group treated with diet alone, P greater than 0.05). The risk of a Type II error with a true difference larger than 9.5 kg was less than 5 per cent. However, the group treated with diet alone regained significantly more weight after maximum weight loss had been achieved, so that the gastroplasty group had a more favorable net outcome at two years (P less than 0.05).

Urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, oxalate and citrate in duodenal ulcer patients. Preliminary results before and up to five years after highly selective vagotomy

The urinary excretion of calcium, oxalate, citrate and magnesium, and the relative saturation products in urine of either calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate, were determined in male duodenal ulcer (DU) patients preoperatively (n = 60), and 1 and 5 years following highly selective vagotomy (HSV), and in male healthy controls (n = 30). In DU before HSV citrate and magnesium were lowered, oxalate was in the low normal range and calcium was normal. The calcium oxalate product was lower than in controls, while the calcium phosphate product was unchanged. Within 5 years HSV normalized urinary citrate and oxalate, but not urinary magnesium, and the median urinary pH was lower than pre-operatively. There thus results a normal product for calcium oxalate, but a reduced one for calcium phosphate. It is suggested that: (1) unoperated DU patients have a urine composition similar to that exhibited in normocalciuric recurrent calcium urolithiasis; (2) this spectrum of urinary constituents may be changed by HSV.

Jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity. Late follow-up in 100 cases

To evaluate the results of jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity, we studied 100 patients with intact bypasses an average of more than five years after surgery. Mean weight loss at five years was 102.7 lb (46.6 kg) (33 per cent). Although nearly half the patients regained some weight between one and five years after surgery, only 17 per cent regained 20 lb (9 kg) or more. Medical benefits (such as improved glucose tolerance and lowered blood pressure) were maintained at five years, but side effects and complications continued to occur in the late postoperative period. Diarrhea (more than three stools per day) persisted in 58 per cent of the patients, and electrolyte disturbances occurred in over a third. Diminished levels of B12 or folate or both were present in 88 per cent. Twenty-one per cent of the patients had nephrolithiasis, and 20 per cent of those who were at risk required cholecystectomy. Progressive hepatic structural abnormalities occurred in 29 per cent of the patients, and there was a 7 per cent incidence of cirrhosis. Although 81 per cent of the patients had satisfactory results at five years, side effects and complications continued to occur, mandating careful follow-up indefinitely. The risk-to-benefit ratio at five years after surgery seems acceptable, but the continued untoward effects of the bypass in the late postoperative period have led us to abandon this procedure in favor of gastric bypass. Only continued longitudinal follow-up will determine whether on balance jejunoileal bypass represents such a serious long-term health hazard that prophylactic restoration of intestinal continuity is indicated.

Assessment of patients with failed gastric operations for morbid obesity

The success of gastric restriction procedures for morbid obesity depends on a persistently small gastric pouch and stoma, an intact staple line, and, of equal importance, dietary compliance. Evaluation of patients with either excessive or inadequate weight loss should be directed at determining both the technical adequacy of the operation and the depth of understanding the patient has of his or her role in the success of the procedure. Because of the poor prognosis for weight loss, patients who are not likely to be complaint or who demonstrate a lack of understanding of the behavioral modification required to ensure the success of the procedure should not have reoperation, even if a large pouch or stoma or a disrupted staple line is seen on an upper gastrointestinal series.

Modification of the gastric partitioning operation for morbid obesity

Two hundred patients operated on for morbid obesity were followed through the evolution and modification of gastric partitioning. Twenty-six patients (group I) were treated by complete TA-90 partitioning with a 1.2 cm gastrogastrostomy; only 23 percent had an excellent result. Fifty-nine (group II) were treated with a single TA-90 partitioning from which three staples were removed to form the stoma between the proximal and distal stomach; 44 percent had excellent results. One hundred fifteen patients (group III) were treated with TA-90 partitioning (three staples removed) using additional staple line reinforcement with 2-0 interrupted silk sutures and support of the stoma with a circumferential 1-0 silk suture reinforced with Teflon pledgets; all have had a good or excellent response. There have been minimal complications and no deaths. We encourage the adoption of this procedure as a safe and reliable surgical method in attacking the problem of morbid obesity. These patients must be treated by a team of surgeons, dietitians, nurses and office personnel who will provide the long-term support system necessary for the behavior modification induced by the surgery.

Tuberculosis after jejuno-ileal bypass for morbid obesity

A patient contracted tuberculosis after 2 operations for morbid obesity. The difficulty in diagnosis and treatment is described. Jejuno-ileal bypass is a non-physiological operation, with many reported complications and side effects. Following this short experience the author and his colleagues have now abandoned this operation. Patients suffering from malnutrition as a result of slimming operations should be carefully monitored for tuberculosis.