Experiences with antireflux valves in jejunoileal bypass surgery

Intussusception valves were created in the small intestine of jejunoileal bypass-operated dogs and patients with the intention to prevent reflux of chyme into the excluded intestinal loop and thereby increase weight loss. In the dogs the valves were shown to withstand a pressure of at least 100 cm of water. All patients with end-to-side bypass were at X-ray examination found to have sufficient valves whereas only four of fourteen with end-to-end bypass, where the defunctionalized loop was implanted into the cecum, had tight valves. During five years of observation no significant difference in weight loss was seen between the patients with valves and control groups without valves. It is concluded that reflux of chyme only plays a minor role for weight loss after jejunoileal bypass for obesity.