[Gargantua and digestive bariatric surgery]

Morbid obesity significantly reduces life span and is associated with much co-morbid pathology. Diet, behavioral therapy and drugs therapy are largely unsuccessful, however the surgical treatment offers the best hope. This historic review about the bariatric surgery summarizes the jejuno ileal by-pass and the gastric surgery as the gastric bypass and the horizontal or vertical gastroplasties. Procedures that reduce gastric capacity and dietary in take are now considered preferable to those that alter food absorption as they are associated with fewer side-effects. The vertical banded gastroplasty is probably, the best operation for modern Gargantua's men.