Role of nutritional support following functional gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity

Records of 20 gastric bypass patients were retrospectively studied in order to determine the effect of nutritional support on the 3 month postoperative period. Charts were utilized to obtain the following information: age, sex, height, weight at the time of surgery and after 3 months; serum albumin at the time of surgery and after 3 months; total lymphocyte count at the time of surgery and after 3 months; early postoperative complications; rehospitalizations within 3 months; and liver biopsy results at the time of surgery. Twenty-four hour intakes within specific time periods were obtained from the charts, and usually a brief patient interview was used for clarification of items and amounts. Patients ranged in age from 23 to 55 with a mean age of 36 years. Mean weight at the time of surgery of the 4 males was 157 kg. and mean weight of the 16 females was 143 kg. (See more in text.)