SUMMARY

Bariatric surgeons continue to debate whether or not patients achieve and maintain a greater degree of weight loss with these types of procedures as compared to the Roux-en-y gastric bypass. It is generally agreed, however, that the operative and long-term nutritional complications are greater with the malabsorptive procedures.

The National Institute of Health in the consensus statement of 1991 did not recognize the malabsorptive  operations such as that described above , this is not to day that there is no place for these procedures, but in our opinion and majority of bariatric surgeons in this country, they should be limited to experimental protocols or controlled studies. The issue of increased complications and the need for long-term follow-up and nutritional supplementation question the true benefits and quality of life after these procedures.