Experience with gastric bypass for massive obesity.

Gastric bypass was performed for the control of massive, exogenous obesity on 50 patients. There was a preoperative average weight of 134 kg. The average weight of these patients at one year was 85 kg, at 2 years was 87 kg and at 3 years was 93 kg. There were five patients who failed to lose 25% of their preoperative weight. An early major complication rate of 10% occurred with one death. Cholelithiasis occurred at some time in 38% of these patients.