[Surgical treatment of hyperlipidemia by partial ileal by-pass]

This study is composed of 7 hyperlipidaemic patients (type II, n = 4; type IV, n = 3), aged 33 to 59 years. These patients underwent a partial ileal by-pass, and the immediate post-operative period was uneventful. Six months post-operatively, serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were 45 and 44% of the pre-operative values. Serum electrolytes remained unchanged as well as liver function tests. In the first few days post-operatively, diarrhoea was a frequent complaint; by the 6th post-operative month, the stools numbered 2-3 per day in patients not receiving any medical treatment. Average weight loss was 6 +/- 1.3%. These preliminary results may confirm that partial ileal by-pass produces favourable metabolic changes. However, screening for late complications is to be further investigated, and the effectiveness of the operative procedure must still be evaluated.