Resolution of late-onset heart and liver failures after reversion of jejuno-ileal bypass: a case report.

OBJECTIVES

Jejuno-ileal bypass (JIB) was a kind of bariatric surgery performed from 1960s to 1980s, able to induce sustainable weight loss by creating a surgical short bowel syndrome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We report a case of an octogenarian woman who underwent in the early eighties this kind of surgery with consequent 40 kg weight loss. After 27 years, she first developed a reversible metabolic cardiomyopathy that began with signs and symptoms of heart failure. Thereafter, she was diagnosed with severe intractable liver insufficiency.

RESULTS

Despite her old age, the patient underwent reversal of JIB with consequent early improvement of hepatic function.

CONCLUSIONS

This case demonstrate that in case of long-term and life-threatening complications, it is possible to successfully reverse JIB surgery after upto 30 years. The hypothesis on pathophysiology of heart and liver insufficiency are discussed.