Related Experiment Videos
Liver failure after jejunoileal shunt.
Archives of Surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
|March 1, 1975
Summary
Jejunoileal bypass for obesity can lead to severe liver damage, including cirrhosis. Reversing the shunt can normalize liver function and reverse these changes, highlighting the need for close patient monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Gastroenterology
- Bariatric Surgery
Background:
- Jejunoileal bypass surgery is a bariatric procedure used for obesity and hyperlipemia.
- Fatty infiltration of the liver is a known complication, but overt liver failure is rare.
Observation:
- A 41-year-old nonalcoholic woman developed severe fatty liver disease and cirrhosis 15 months after jejunoileal bypass.
- Her liver function was normal before the surgery.
Findings:
- Liver biopsy confirmed severe fatty metamorphosis progressing towards cirrhosis.
- Reversal of the jejunoileal shunt led to normalization of liver chemistry values.
- Morphologic changes in the liver biopsy also reversed after shunt reversal.
Implications:
- Close monitoring of liver function in patients undergoing small bowel bypass is crucial.
- Persistent liver abnormalities beyond six months post-surgery warrant consideration for shunt reversal.