Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: limb length and weight loss

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a surgical technique widely used in the treatment of obesity. It is unclear, however, if the length of the biliopancreatic and alimentary limb interferes with the magnitude of weight loss. AIM: To evaluate if the length of these limbs is related to the percentage of weight loss one year after surgery. METHOD: One hundred and twenty obese people underwent surgery between 2009 and 2011. Patients were inserted into four groups: A) biliopancreatic limb with 50 cm length and alimentary limb with100 cm length; B) biliopancreatic limb with 50 cm length and alimentary limb with 150 cm length; C) biliopancreatic limb with 100 cm length and alimentary limb with100 cm length; D) biliopancreatic limb with 100 cm length and alimentary limb with150 cm length. Age, gender, body mass index and the percentage of total weight loss were analyzed. Data were collected preoperatively and one year after surgery. The groups were compared and weight loss compared between groups. RESULTS: The follow-up occurred in 78.3% of the sample. The composition of the groups was similar, with no statistical significance. The average age was 43 years in groups A, C and D and 42 years in group B. The female gender predominated in all groups (about 60% of the sample). The mean body mass index was 46 kg/m2 for groups A, C and D and 42 kg/m2 in group B. The percentage of weight loss was 33% for group A and 34% for groups B, C and D. There was no significant difference among groups. CONCLUSION: Different lengths of the biliopancreatic and alimentary limbs did not affect the percentage of total weight loss.

背景：Roux-en-Y胃旁路术（Roux-en-Y gastric bypass）是目前临床广泛用于治疗肥胖症的外科术式。然而，胆胰支（biliopancreatic limb）与肠袢（alimentary limb）的长度是否会对体重下降幅度产生影响，目前尚不明确。
研究目的：探讨上述两支肠袢的长度是否与术后1年的体重下降百分比存在关联。
研究方法：2009年至2011年间，共120例肥胖患者接受了该手术。将患者分为四组：A组：胆胰支长度50cm，肠袢长度100cm；B组：胆胰支长度50cm，肠袢长度150cm；C组：胆胰支长度100cm，肠袢长度100cm；D组：胆胰支长度100cm，肠袢长度150cm。分析患者的年龄、性别、体重指数（body mass index）及总体重下降百分比。分别于术前及术后1年收集相关数据，对各组进行基线比较及组间体重下降情况对比。
研究结果：本研究样本的随访率为78.3%。各组基线特征无统计学差异：A、C、D组患者平均年龄为43岁，B组为42岁；各组均以女性为主，占样本总量的约60%；A、C、D组平均体重指数为46 kg/m²，B组为42 kg/m²。A组体重下降百分比为33%，B、C、D组为34%，各组间无显著统计学差异。
结论：胆胰支与肠袢的不同长度，不会对总体重下降百分比产生影响。