The practice of pancreatic resection after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

The morbid obesity epidemic in the United States has resulted in increasing numbers of patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass who require surgical management of nonbariatric disorders. When pancreatic resection is indicated in bariatric patients, consideration of the altered foregut anatomy can be applied to the principles of pancreatic resection to foster effective techniques that minimize operative complications. A retrospective review and analysis of bariatric patients who underwent pancreatic resection at the Medical University of South Carolina Digestive Center over a 2-year period (2006 to 2007) was conducted to assess indications for operation, operative techniques, and postoperative outcome in patients with previous Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.