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Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Operation in Rats
Published on: June 11, 2012
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Taste, smell and appetite change after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery
L Graham1, G Murty, D J Bowrey
1Department of Surgery, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Level 6 Balmoral Building, Leicester, LE1 5WW, UK.
Obesity Surgery
|March 11, 2014
Summary
Sensory changes in appetite, taste, and smell are common after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. These changes, including food aversions, correlate with greater weight loss and BMI reduction post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Bariatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Patient-reported sensory changes (appetite, taste, smell) are frequent post-weight loss surgery.
- Limited existing literature addresses these common post-surgical sensory alterations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and nature of appetite, taste, and smell changes following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).
- To correlate sensory alterations with patient outcomes, including weight loss and BMI reduction.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 188 patients who underwent RYGB between 2000-2011 were surveyed.
- Appetite, taste, and smell changes were assessed using validated questionnaires.
- Response rate was 55% (103 patients).
Main Results:
- High prevalence of sensory changes: 97% appetite, 73% taste, 42% smell.
- Food aversions reported by 73% of patients, particularly to meat products (33%).
- Patients with food aversions achieved greater postoperative weight loss and BMI reduction.
Conclusions:
- Subjective sensory alterations are highly prevalent after RYGB.
- These sensory changes are now a routine part of patient counseling and informed consent for RYGB surgery.
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