Gastric bypass for morbid obesity

This is a report on 402 consecutive gastric bypass operations performed for morbid obesity. The operation involves the construction of a small (30–60 ml) upper gastric pouch connected to a Roux‐en‐Y jejunal limb by an anastomosis no larger than 1.2 cm in diameter. Concomitant patient ailments included hypertension, gallbladder disease, arthritis, and diabetes. Three patients died postoperatively, and the overall immediate morbidity was 4.2%. Ninety percent of the patients have achieved and maintained a satisfactory weight reduction. However, residual problems include anastomotic leaks, inadequate weight reduction, and few but significant difficulties such as anemia, kidney stones, and marginal ulcer. All of the obesity‐associated diseases responded favorably, either disappearing or being greatly ameliorated.