Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 21, 2025
11:58
A Protocol for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in Rats using Linear Staplers
Published on: August 21, 2021
5.6K
A Protocol for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in Rats using Linear Staplers
Jerry T Dang1, Valentin Mocanu2, Breanna Fang3
1Department of Surgery, University of Alberta; dang2@ualberta.ca.
Journal of Visualized Experiments : Jove
|September 6, 2021
Summary
A new rat model for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery offers a reproducible method to study obesity and type 2 diabetes mechanisms. This improved surgical protocol achieves high survival rates and a smaller gastric pouch, closely mimicking human procedures.
Area of Science:
- Bariatric surgery research
- Surgical innovation
- Metabolic disease mechanisms
Background:
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) effectively treats severe obesity and type 2 diabetes, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
- Existing rodent models have limitations, including high mortality rates (mouse models) or non-representative gastric pouch size (rat models).
- A refined surgical protocol is needed for reliable investigation of RYGB's physiological effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a modified Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) protocol in rats that yields a small gastric pouch, similar to human anatomy.
- To establish a reproducible and high-survival rat model for studying the mechanisms of weight loss and metabolic changes after RYGB.
- To enable researchers to investigate the complex physiological impacts of RYGB without requiring extensive microsurgical experience.
Main Methods:
- A modified RYGB procedure in rats utilizing surgical staplers to create a small gastric pouch by removing the forestomach.
- Comparison of RYGB cohort with a sham-operated cohort to assess weight loss and metabolic outcomes.
- Evaluation of surgical technique for hemostasis and survival rates.
Main Results:
- The modified RYGB protocol resulted in a significantly smaller gastric pouch, comparable to human RYGB.
- The RYGB group exhibited significant weight loss and improved glucose tolerance compared to the sham group at 14 weeks.
- This protocol demonstrated a high survival rate of 88.9% post-surgery.
Conclusions:
- The described rat RYGB protocol provides a reproducible and effective model for studying bariatric surgery's impact on obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- The technique's high survival rate and representative gastric pouch size make it a valuable tool for mechanistic research.
- This model facilitates the investigation of RYGB's complex effects on metabolism and satiety, advancing our understanding of bariatric surgery outcomes.
