Surgical therapy for morbid obesity.

The results of jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity were studied in 192 operated patients. Mean weight loss was 39.3% of initial weight and 80.5% of overweight. Medical benefits (such as improved glucose tolerance, lowered blood pressure, healed Pickwick syndrome, etc.) were maintained during the follow-up (average five years). The most feared complication of the jejunoileal bypass is severe hepatic failure, which appeared in 2.3% of the cases, only after the end-to-end jejunoileal bypass, and never more than 12 months after surgery. Most patients had satisfactory and lasting results due to a careful and assiduous postoperative follow-up, and to the strict co-operation between the medical staff and the patient. Medical therapy in the preoperative period was useful to control the weight gain by administration of a hypocaloric definite diet. In the postoperative period, we usually got benefits for the bypass induced intestinal malabsorption by administration of supportive vitamins and electrolytes. To prevent liver diseases we often found intestinal-specific antibiotics, aminoacidic solutions, hyperproteical diet and anti-steatosis agents helpful.