Endoscopic and histologic findings in the gastric pouch and the Roux limb after gastric bypass.
BACKGROUND
Despite the large number of gastric bypasses performed for morbid obesity, very little is known about the endoscopic and histologic aspects of the gastric pouch and the Roux-limb late after surgery. We performed prospective routine endoscopic and histologic studies of the pouch and Roux-limb 2 years after gastric bypass.


METHODS
The present study includes 227 patients submitted to resectional gastric bypass and followed for a mean of 27 months after surgery. Mean BMI before bypass was 44 kg/m2. In all patients, upper endoscopy of the pouch and of the jejunal limb was performed, taking 3 biopsy samples of the gastric pouch in 171 patients and 2 samples of the jejunum in 40 patients.


RESULTS
Macroscopic appearance of the gastric pouch was normal in 99% of the patients and of the jejunal limb in 100%. Histologic analysis revealed normal fundic mucosa in 56%. Chronic active gastritis was the most frequent abnormal histologic finding. 7 patients (4.1%) showed intestinal metaplasia. H. pylori infection was present in the gastric pouch in 31% of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The proximal gastric pouch after gastric bypass is endoscopically normal in 99% of patients 2 years after surgery, while the Roux-limb is normal in 100%. Histologic analysis of gastric mucosa revealed normal fundic mucosa in 56%. There are some chronic histologic changes, even intestinal metaplasia, whose behavior at late follow-up is not yet known. H. pylori is present in nearly (1/3) of the patients.
Csendes
Attila
A
Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Santiago, Chile. acsendes@med.uchile.cl
Smok
Gladys
G
Burgos
Ana Maria
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies