Revision of failed gastric bypass to distal Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a review of 65 cases.

BACKGROUND: No bariatric operation has been documented to effect adequate weight loss in all patients. Patients with inadequate weight loss or significant weight regain with an anatomically intact short-limb gastric bypass, of which the Fobi pouch operation (FPO) for obesity is a modification, are usually revised to a distal Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (DRYGBP) to enhance weight loss.
METHOD: A retrospective review of the charts of all patients who had a revision to a DRYGBP at our Center during an 8-year period was carried out and the findings analyzed.
RESULTS: 65 patients who had the FPO had a revision to the DRYGBP. Most were super obese patients who, even though they had lost significant weight, were still morbidly obese. Some were patients who had not lost adequate weight or <40% excess weight, and a small number were patients who requested more weight loss even though they had a BMI of < 35. 15 patients developed protein malnutrition requiring supplemental feeding. 6 required rerevision to short-limb gastric bypass.
CONCLUSION: Revision of short-limb gastric bypass to DRYGBP usually enhances weight loss but at a cost of an increased incidence of protein malnutrition.