Question:
What about the length of the common channel?

Now I am really confused!!! I am considering using BTC in Illinois, but, I read s concern about the length of the common channel. It was said that BTC leaves a common channel of 200 cm? And a reply was "200 cm on the common channel is way too long" and would keep you from losing weight! They said it should be somewhere around 100 cm, if I remember the post correctly. I don't know what I should do now...try to go ahead with BTC or go somewhere else? PLEASE HELP ME!!!    — Richard P. (posted on April 16, 2003)

April 16, 2003
I do not know what other post you are referring to but I had a lengthy discussion with and individual on a support group about how long the small intestine is and how much is left after which surgeries. I verified last week with my surgeon that I was in the ballpark. The actual length of small intestine varies by individual as it is proportionate to your height, but most people run in the 20' range, which is 600cm. So when you have 150cm bypassed for a RNY you have 450cm of common channnel. If you have a DS procedure usually everyting is bypassed but the last 24-48", which is the length of the common channel - 60 to 120cm. <p>I believe where part of the problem comes in is that the small intestine is actually made of up 3 sections and I'm not sure when people quote numbers that they are talking aobut the total of all 3 sections, which I am when I say approx. 600cm. My understanding is that the BTC's in Ill do RNY's only. If they are doing 400cm bypasses I would be concerned as that like 12', which is a very long bypass for an RNY and an awful lot of malabsorption. However, if they are doing this but with a very large pouch then it might not be so weird. However, most surgeons do a max 150cm bypass with RNY's but I have hear of some as long as 300cm but never 400cm. <p>You need to talk to them because I truly think terminology is mixed up here. I am a 150cm bypass and therefore have at least a 450cm common channnel and maybe longer because I am tall. I have a 1/2 ounce pouch to go with my long (but typical) common channel. For your own peace of mind call and talk to them. Chris
   — zoedogcbr

April 16, 2003
Hi Richard! I had my surgery at the BTC in Illinois and can guarentee to you that they ONLY will bypass 150 cm. then end...leaving the common channel approx. 450 cm. For BTC, It's the same procedure no matter if you weight 200 or 400 pounds. It's what they've found to work the best for everyone and what they stick to. Good luck!!!
   — Christie N.

April 17, 2003
Although the average small bowel length for a human adult may be 600cm, published studies indicate that it may be significantly longer for morbidly obese WLS patients -- more than 700cm (with a lot of individual variation, which does not necessarily correlate with variations in height). In the DS and in very distal RNY procedures, surgeons measure how much intestine will be left in the alimentary tract, not how much is bypassed. The typical DS leaves a 100 cm common channel, a 150 cm Roux limb, and all the rest goes in the bilio-pancreatic limb (~450+ cm). Some patients with very distal RNYs have similar intestinal measurements. In contrast, proximal RNY surgeons don't tend to talk about common channels. Instead, they report how much intestine will be bypassed. It's important to ask what they mean by "bypassed," however. Some seem to be talking about the Roux limb (food travels through it, but bile and pancreatic enzymes "bypass" this portion of the bowel), and some seem to be talking about the bilio-pancreatic limb (just the opposite -- digestive fluids travel through it, but food bypasses this limb). Your Roux limb and your common channel together make up your alimentary tract. The shorter your alimentary tract is made, the more malabsorption you'll have (overall, but esp. of protein and carbs). The shorter your common channel, the more malabsorption of fats you'll have. However, since the proximal RNY relies much more heavily on restriction than malabsorption for its results, it's not really critical to have a short alimentary limb. I hope this helps. I know it's all very confusing, but you're already on the right track by asking questions and working hard to fully understand your options. Good luck!
   — Tally