Question:
ive heard alot about the MINI GASTRIC BYPASS..........

i HAVE HEARD ALOT ABOUT THE MINI GASTRIC BY PASS,,,,,,,,, WHATS THE DIFFRENCE BETWEEN THAT AND THE RNY....... I READ AN ARTICLE THAT IT WAS JSUT AS EFFECCTIVE AS THE RNY..... CAN ANYONE ENLIGHTEN ME....... THANKS    — christina L. (posted on April 20, 2003)

April 20, 2003
Here is Aetna's take on the "mini gastric bypass" from the coverage policy bulletin at http://www.aetna.com/cpb/data/CPBA0157.html (BTW, Aetna doesn't cover it): <p> The "mini gastric bypass" has recently been promoted as a new surgical treatment for morbid obesity. There is only one surgeon currently offering the procedure. It involves laparoscopic construction of a large and elongated gastric pouch and a loop gastric bypass with distal diversion (200 cm or up to half of the small bowel) to reduce food absorption. While the name implies "small" and "simple", the procedure is a major and life-threatening operation, and uses the loop gastric bypass, which has been universally condemned by bariatric surgeons for the last 20 years. Specifically, performing a loop, rather than a Roux-en-Y, anastomosis to the upper pouch of a gastric bypass will permit reflux of bile and digestive juice into the esophagus where it can cause reflux esophagitis, ulceration, and esophageal cancer over a period of years. The Roux-en-Y modification of the loop bypass was designed to divert the bile down-stream, several feet below the pouch and esophagus to minimize the risk of reflux. The trend towards use of Roux-en-Y and away from loop gastric bypass was based on sound surgical experience of multiple surgeons with large series of patients. <p> JR
   — John Rushton

April 20, 2003
I have not heard anything positive about it. My surgeon said there is a "reason" that it is not a commonly done procedure.
   — Fixnmyself

April 20, 2003
Barb Thompsons great WLS book covers this surgery<P> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1891231758/qid=1039629379/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_3/104-5944030-5923118?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
   — bob-haller

April 20, 2003
http://www.gastricbypass.com/SOMO.html - This form of Gastric Bypass was developed years ago, and has generally been abandoned by nearly all bariatric surgeons as unsafe -- several years ago, a consensus of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery was that the procedure should never be performed. Although easier to perform than the Roux en-Y, it creates a severe hazard in the event of any leakage after surgery. It seriously increases the risk of ulcer formation, and irritation of the stomach pouch by bile, as well as risking the potential of esophageal cancer. http://www.homanmd.com/mgb.htm - The "mini-gastric bypass" is merely a slick presentation of an old discredited idea. Dr. Mason, who first tried this operation many years ago, himself abandoned the idea and advised others to do so. In fact, dissatisfaction with this operation by patients and surgeons lead to the development of the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass as it is now commonly performed.
   — [Deactivated Member]

April 20, 2003
My BCBS policy clearly stated in my pre-auth letter that it would not cover the mini. Chris
   — zoedogcbr