Precision in measuring shunt length in jejunoileostomy for morbid obesity

We performed a prospective assessment of intraoperative precision in determination of shunt length in 138 patients. The variations were slight and of the same order of magnitude in the jejunum and ileum. Precision in per cent of measured length was independent of the actual length and of the surgeons who performed the operations. The results indicate that factors other than error in the measurements are responsible for variations in weight loss after jejunoileostomy.