I was at a group meeting the other day and they were discussing the RNY. The lady giving the seminar said that they used to take out the unused part of the stomach when performing RNY back in the day, and that the reason they leave it in now is because people were dying when it was removed, and now that they leave it in everything is fine.

Now i know with VSG they dont take out your entire stomach but this comment really made me worry. What does she mean? How much data is there on this surgery and its long term effects?

I have never heard of them removing any part of the stomach for the bypass surgery, but I do know they were doing some sort of bypass surgery back in the late 70's and 80's. I just don't know the specifics because I was just a baby back then. When I had to see an oncologist for my clotting disorder, he showed me studies of people who had gastrectomies, and their chances of developing cancer (any type) decreased by 50%. He was completely supportive, and very positive that I would lead a normal, healthy life post-op.

As for this surgery, the sleeve as a weight loss surgery hasn't been around as long as bypass. BUT, gastrectomies have been performed for decades, and there are cases of people who have their entire stomachs removed and have lived, long, healthy lives. I googled a lot of information about gastrectomies, and found a lot of them were performed for stomach cancer or ulcerative disorders.

I have heard from a friend who had the RnY that they did leave her stomach in in peritoneal cavity, right next to the pouch they created.. She didn't know why, so I googled it and found out that they reason is that just in case they need to reattach the stomach for some reason, they can. Anybody else?

Side note, my grandfather had a gastrectomy when he was young, probably was around 1920 or so, due to ulcers. He never had a weight problem either, and could eat normally..but I never saw him pig out. But he did like his beer. :-)

Edited October 14, 200916 yr by Steph_123

My cousin had to have his stomach removed due to cancer.

He was mid 40's. That was over 10 years ago. He is as healthy as a horse, looks great, full of energy and enjoys life to the fullest.

I was at a group meeting the other day and they were discussing the RNY. The lady giving the seminar said that they used to take out the unused part of the stomach when performing RNY back in the day, and that the reason they leave it in now is because people were dying when it was removed, and now that they leave it in everything is fine.

That is absolute nonsense. Not only did they not used to take it out, they used to not even separate it, just staple it off. That caused so many problems because sometimes the two parts would open up to each other in places. So then they started separating the other part of the stomach and that made the surgery much safer.

Btw, some surgeons have started taking it out because they believe leaving it in causes more problems than it's worth. It can't be scoped but it can get cancer or ulcers.

Never heard that. Perhaps you should ask this person for some research on this at your next meeting. (Not being snarky, but one should not go around sharing incorrect information...perhaps she would rethink her position if she is unable to prove her statements).

That said, I know two people who have had gastrectomies for medical reasons not wieght loss reasons. One was my grandfather. He did die at a fairly early age, but it was due to smoking (he had severe emphesema (sp?) and eventually had a stroke). The other is our pastor's wife. I'm not sure why she had hers, but from what I see she suffers no consequences from it. She does have many other medical issues that ail her, though (heart trouble).

I have also posted on other threads that my husband's grandmother had a partial gastrectomy years ago and lived until she was 87. She died from an unrelated illness.

MY EX SIL had a RnY in the 80s. They removed her stomach. NOW people were dying BUT not because of the stomach being removed. They were dying because of malnutrition and not following doctors orders to a T. Mcmad, YES people were dying but not because of lack of stomach!

NO NEED TO WORRY here we have a FULLY functioning stomach with the VSG.

Anyway again my two cents!

That reminds me: My aunt had two partial gastrectomies due to stomach cancer and is still alive and kicking. She's in her 70s.

I was at a group meeting the other day and they were discussing the RNY. The lady giving the seminar said that they used to take out the unused part of the stomach when performing RNY back in the day, and that the reason they leave it in now is because people were dying when it was removed, and now that they leave it in everything is fine.

Now i know with VSG they dont take out your entire stomach but this comment really made me worry. What does she mean? How much data is there on this surgery and its long term effects?

I am assuming this person was talking about long term "dying" but mine is almost all removed and I am still kicking. All jokes aside......

A friend's husband had stomach cancer. 95% of his stomach was removed. He did pass away several years later but it was from the cancer metastitis (moving around the body) not from his stomach being gone. He ate fine but did have trouble with tough breads, like some do with VSG including me.

She remembered when they looked at the Dr. in horror when he said they would remove most of his tumored stomach. "How will he eat and stay alive?" Dr. said "You don't need your stomach, you might need B12 suppliments later but we will do blood work to see in about 6 months."

My father had a bypass in the 80's. He was fine. He died later from something unrelated but never had trouble that I remember.

My doc removes the separated parts for RNY and VSG. They're not going to be used and can only cause trouble, per his statements.

His patients tend to make it out of the hospital :smilielol5: