Biliopancreatic Diversion
What is 'biliopancreatic diversion' bypass surgery?
The biliopancreatic operation is one that removes about half to three-quarters of the stomach and bypasses the duodenum, similar to the gastric bypass, with a long-limb bypass, so you have less of your intestines that you're using. It's a successful procedure. It is a malabsorption procedure, and you have the same problems with smelly diarrhoea and body odour that you have with the duodenal switch. The surgeons to do it find that it works very well, and is very successful, and they think that it's the best procedure to use.
Can biliopancreatic diversion be dangerous or fatal?
The morbidity and mortality rate for the biliopancreatic bypass is similar, in my knowledge, to the gastric bypass. I don't think it's worse or better. I think they're similar procedures; just a different way of rerouting the plumbing, as we've said before.
What are the side effects of biliopancreatic diversion bypass surgery?
The side effects of the biliopancreatic diversion are going to be the mortality that can occur with surgery. Bleeding that can occur, infections. The similar things that I talked about with the gastric bypass, psychological effects when you lose your weight. The added side effects are the diarrhoea that can and usually does, the restrictions on lifestyle where patients know where they have to be able to get to a bathroom, or certain smells that are there that patients are afraid of. So, in a way it's very similar to the gastric bypass with these few things added on to it.
How fast can I lose weight after biliopancreatic diversion bypass surgery?
The biliopancreatic diversion weight loss is about the same as the gastric bypass from the literature that I've read. Weight loss being 9 to 12 months in general when the weight stabilizes, up to about 18 months, when you've lost the amount you are going to lose and stabilize it.
