Question:
Actual CM for Distal, Medial and Proximal

Can anyone tell me the actual CM for operation to be Distal, Medial and Proximal. Also, does anyone know of a surgeon who performs distal RNY in Georgia?    — Dr. Sally M. (posted on October 18, 1999)

October 18, 1999
I sort of get the feeling that each doctor applies the terminolgy based on his/her own feelings. Our doctor now just refers to them by the inches of common channel. He'll now do them from 50" on up the ladder by roughly 5" increments. Hence, at our support group meetings, we often say, "Hi, I'm Michelle and my sugery was Oct 94 and I'm a 40"." Primitive, but effective! Otherwise, what our doc calls a proximal, your doctor may call a distal!
   — vitalady

October 19, 1999
Medial : I haven't heard of that before. Proximal : typically 75 to 150 cm of jejunum attached to the stomach, leaving many meters of small bowel in continuity. Distal: only 50 to 100 cm of ileum left as a common channel with both the food and bile mixing. Typically meters of small bowel are bypassed. A picture is worth a thousand words, try the www.asbs.org website and the ww.shedweight.com website for starters. Dr Bodner
   — Bruce B.