Laparoscopic gastric bypass. Another option in bariatric surgery.
BACKGROUND
The present report describes the technical details of laparoscopic bypass for morbid obesity.


METHODS
The laparoscopic approach was attempted in eight patients and completed in six. In these latter patients the stomach was divided with an endoscopic linear cutter (ETC 60 Ethicon), and a antecolic jejunal loop was brought to the proximal pouch and anastomosed by use of manual suture technique supported with locking clips for knotting substitutes [Lapra-Ty (Ethicon)]. Distal to the gastrojejunostomy a side-to-side enteroanastomosis was also performed.


RESULTS
Five patients in whom the laparoscopic procedure was completed had an uneventful postoperative period and a rapid recovery. However, one patient had a postoperative left-sided pleuropneumonia that required prolonged hospital stay. Of those who were converted, one was because of a large steatotic left liver lobe and another was due to a perforation of the small intestine.


CONCLUSIONS
These early results indicate that gastric bypass for the treatment of morbid obesity can be safely performed with laparoscopic techniques. Further development in this field should be encouraged.
Lönroth
H
H
Department of Surgery, Sahlgren's University Hospital, S-413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Dalenbäck
J
J
Haglind
E
E
Lundell
L
L
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery