Jejuno-ileal-bypass (JIB)

Jejunoileal bypass (JIB) was one of the original operations for morbid obesity. It was first performed in 1953/54, and was the mainstay of surgical treatment for around twenty years. The weight loss it achieved was excellent, but the long term complications, some of which are serious, hampered the widespread use of the procedure and other procedures were adapted to take its place.

How it works.

The JIB is a purely malabsorptive operation.

Most of the absorption of nutrients taken in as food are absorbed by the small bowel. In the JIB, a large proportion of the small intestine is bypassed (taken out of circulation) allowing for a much smaller area for the absorption of digested food. The consequence of this is that food that is eaten is 'malabsorbed' or not taken in. This results in diarrhoea particularly if a large quantity of fats are eaten.

Weight loss

Weight loss results are between 60 and 90% excess weight. So if you were 50 kgs overweight, this operation would help you lose between 30 and 45 kg in the long term.

Problems

Obviously diarrhoea can be a very debilitating problem and in some the problem is so great as to warrant a reversal. Other problems have including nutritional deficiencies, gas-bloat, kidney stones and liver failure, and it because of these that the operation has been greatly modified to try to decrease the risk of these problems. It is rarely performed today.