Question:
What exactly is the difference between Distal -vs- Proximal

   — Eleanore Davis (posted on June 25, 2003)

June 25, 2003
Distal and proximal are like saying far and near - it has to do with how much of the intestine is bypassed - the more they pass the less nutrition is absorbed - so it can be a very important decision by the surgeon. Think "distal" = distance - farther away. There is quite a debate about bypassing so much of the intestine because of potential malnutrition. Probably only for extremely obese, like 400 or more, but that last part is just my guess.
   — bethybb