Question:
Why leave the stomach intact in RNY and dividing with staples? Why not remove that u

   — Teri L. (posted on June 7, 1999)

June 7, 1999
Dear Teri, I ask my Dr. that Question. He said it takes more time to staple and leave the stomach intact. But the chance of leakage into the abdomine is less since you have the stomach still as one, just separated. He also said dividing the stomch is easier thats why some sureons prefer to do it but he prefers stapling thur the stomach and taking his time to do it right. when they staple a stomach thats been divided there are two separate staple lines each only having two sets of staples. Keeping the stomach in one piece and making a small pouch using four rows of staples holds better withless chance of staple malfunction. I am having the roux en y. and was convinced to keep my stomach as one unit divided by staples. The old stomach is still used for the digestive juices. I am only repeating what I was told and would be interested in other answers. Carol Taylor
   — Carol T.

June 7, 1999
I'm not 100% sure on this answer, but this is my understanding. The large part of the stomach that is detached from the small "new" stomach is used for gastric juices and bile. The bile and normal stomach secretions leave the stomach and travel down the intestines to meet up with the food that is coming out of the "new" stomach and continues to help break down that food for absorption of nutrition in the intestines, therefore it is necessary to keep the "large stomach" and not remove it. In addition to stapling the two stomachs and dividing them into two, each staple line is oversewn with stitches. This gives a more secure staple line, avoiding the possibility of disrupting the staple line, as can be done in the procedure where the stomach is left in one piece, but stapled.
   — Deborah L.

June 7, 1999
My Doctor said the same thing as Carol Taylor's doc.
   — Carol M.

June 7, 1999
My doctor says the downside of complete division is the greater risk of life-threatening leak in the early postoperative period.
   — dboat

June 8, 1999
Hi, they leave the old stomach in there just in case, in rare cases, that the person rejects this surgery so they can reverse the operation back to normal as much as possible.
   — Sandra S.

June 8, 1999
I went to my consult with my surgeron 2 days a ago and he spoke to me about removing my unused stomache and he also removes my gallbladder and my appendix (cause of my age..22) He said the removing of the stomach is up to me, but he recommends it to decrease the chances of infection
   — Nicole S.

June 9, 1999
I had a procedure (distal gastric bypass/duodenal switch) that removed the unusable portion of the stomach. In this fashion, the 'blind' portion of the stomach is not still producing gastric juices, which only eats away at staples and promotes ulcers. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to contact me directly.
   — Elizabeth W.