MASSIVE WEIGHT-LOSS FOLLOWING JEJUNOILEAL BYPASS .1. EFFECTS ON PULMONARY-FUNCTION

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 81  (4) , 399-400
Abstract
Morbidly obese patients (12) had jujunoileal bypass surgery and serial detailed pulmonary function studies done over a 1 yr period. Before operation they showed evidence of a decreased ventilation: perfusion ratio producing a shuntlike effect (PaO2 [arterial O2 tension] = 73, PaCO2 [arterial CO2 tension] = 37, pH = 7.44) while breathing room air (FIO2 = 0.209). They had measurements consistent with pure restrictive lung disease. There was a highly significant improvement in the arterial oxygenation over the entire 1 yr period and a significant loss of chest wall mass over the first 6 mo. period. The improved oxygenation most likely was due to a return of lung volumes toward normal and an improvement in the efficiency of the respiratory muscles.