Distal & Proximal

What is the difference between the two? Melissa

I asked my surgeon this, and which was I... he said the bypass is consider proximal if less than 100 cm of small intestine is bypassed, and distal if more than 105 cm is bypassed. I was in the middle at 101 cm bypassed. The larger the patient, the more distal the bypass is usually done. Hope this helps... Susan Lap RNY 12-1-04 285-201-155 (-84)

So basically you were neither distal or proximal. Also you don't know which one you may be until you see the dr. I assume. Thanks, Melissa (Hoping to have surgery)

My sugeon said I was closer to being proximal than distal, and this is what he told me when I saw him at my 1 month follow-up visit. He also said the more distal you are bypassed, the more malabsorbtion you have, cause more weight loss, hence the reason the more weight you need to lose, some docs choose to do the more distal procedure. If I had known pre-op, I would have asked the doc which he did routinely, and I am sure he would have told me then. I just didn't think to ask at the time. Susan

If my memory is correct there is an imaginary line that goes down your body, a reference point for doctors. Distal means farther away and proximal means closer to. I think that is right, but it has been a long time since I've studied that stuff. Good luck and may God bless you. Ken

Melissa: I didnt get a choice, my insurance BCBS would only cover proximal, they considered Distal to be too experimental. So I had 100cms bypassed. Kelly S