Jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity. Report of a series with long-term results.

Of 72 patients who underwent jejunoileal bypass because of morbid obesity, 69 could be evaluated with special reference to long-term (median 11 years) results. One of the other three had fatal anastomotic leakage, one underwent resection and reversal of shunt because of postoperative gangrene in the bypassed segment, and one died of sepsis and liver failure following cholecystectomy 6 months after bypass. The median body mass index (kg/m2) fell from 45.4 preoperatively to 33.2 after 16 years. Shunt-related complications in early and late follow-up were diarrhoea (n = 15), anal/perianal disorders (15), arthralgia (15), urinary calculi (16), cholelithiasis (5), severe flatulence (7), liver cirrhosis (5), intestinal tuberculosis (1), ileitis (1), severe electrolyte disturbance (4), hypomagnesaemia (22), hypokalaemia (8), and deficiency of vitamin B12 (24), iron (24) and folate (17). Although jejunal bypass effectively reduces weight, the patients are at continuous risk of many complications. However, the improvement in quality of life should not be underestimated.