Short-term results of long biliopancreatic limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypass-is it superior?

Abstract

To compare the short-term safety and effectiveness of long biliopancreatic limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) to that of regular RYGB. Academic hospital, United States. A retrospective chart review was performed on 89 consecutive patients who underwent RYGB between February 4, 2014 and March 12, 2015. Of these, 43 underwent long biliopancreatic limb RYGB (150 versus 60 cm, with 100-cm Roux limb). Baseline characteristics including sex, preoperative body mass index, and co-morbidities were similar between the long- and regular-limb RYGB patients. Long-limb patients were older than regular-limb patients. The median length of hospital stay was similar (2 d for both groups). In the long-limb RYGB group, the mean percentage of excess body mass index loss was 50.3%, 71.4%, 75.8%, and 80.5% at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after the procedure, respectively. In the regular-limb RYGB group, the mean excess body mass index loss was 51.8%, 71.7%, 69.3%, and 68.5% during the same follow-up period. No significant difference in weight loss was observed between the 2 groups at any time point. Two patients in each group required 30-day readmission (4.7% and 4.3%). Two patients in each group required 30-day reoperation. One death occurred in the regular limb group due to a cerebrovascular accident after discharge. Short-term results show that long biliopancreatic limb RYGB was not associated with a more significant weight loss after RYGB. The 2 procedures were similar in 30-day complications.