Virtual gastroduodenoscopy: a new look at the bypassed stomach and duodenum after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity.

BACKGROUND: After open or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) for morbid obesity, the bypassed stomach and duodenum are not readily available for radiological and endoscopic evaluation. Furthermore, little is known about the long-term physiologic and histologic changes that occur in the bypassed GI segments following these procedures. Many alternative radiological and endoscopic techniques have been described to access the distal gastric pouch and the duodenum after RYGBP. Apart from percutaneous gastrografin studies, all these techniques require the insertion of a gastrostomy tube in the distal stomach.

METHODS: A new diagnostic method to access the bypassed segments by virtual CT gastroscopy (VG) was used in 5 morbidly obese patients who underwent laparoscopic RYGBP (LRYGBP).

RESULTS: All patients tolerated the procedure well, which appears safe and suitable for an outpatient setting. The virtual images offered an excellent intraluminal view of the stomach and duodenum.

CONCLUSIONS: VG holds promise as the method of choice in the follow-up of LRYGB patients, having the potential to detect inflammatory changes and cancer in the excluded segments early.