# Gastro-Jejunal Ileal Interposition with Bipartition: A Salvage Procedure for Severe Protein-Energy Malnutrition After Transit Bipartition

## TL;DR

This study shows that a specific surgical procedure can help treat severe malnutrition and diarrhea after another surgery, while keeping diabetes benefits.

## Contribution

GJIB is proposed as a novel salvage procedure for PEM after TB, preserving diabetes remission.

## Key findings

- GJIB significantly improved BMI and reduced protein-energy malnutrition.
- Stool frequency and albumin levels improved post-surgery.
- Excluded bowel length decreased significantly after GJIB.

## Abstract

Intractable diarrhea or excess weight loss associated with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) can occur after Transit Bipartition (TB). This study evaluates the effect of transposing the alimentary limb to the proximal intestines.

Between 2017 and 2024, ten patients with malnutrition and diarrhea underwent Gastro-Jejunal Ileal Interposition (GJIB) surgery after TB. We prospectively monitored protein-energy malnutrition postoperatively and retrospectively analyzed demographic data, laboratory findings, and anthropometric measurements. Gastric transit scintigraphy was performed on symptomatic and asymptomatic patients to evaluate gastric evacuation diversity between the pylorus and the gastro-ileostomy.

Ten patients (male/female, 6/4) were operated on. The preoperative mean age was 49.4 ± 9.19 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.19 ± 1.13 kg/m2, the mean excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) percentage was 123.26 ± 14.85%, and the total weight loss percentage (%TWL) was 42.35 ± 0.33. Eighty percent of food passed through the gastroileostomy in all patients. The mean follow-up period was 50.56 ± 57.28 months.

Postoperatively, the mean BMI increased to 28.16 ± 2.2 kg/m2 (p = 0.001), %EBMIL decreased to 79.88 ± 21.53% (p = 0.001), and %TWL decreased to 27.31 ± 10.1. Albumin levels rose from a median of 2.1 mg/dl to an average of 3.8 ± 0.78 mg/dl (p = 0.001), and stool frequency decreased from 11.56 ± 0.71 to 2.1 ± 2.12 per day (p = 0.001). The excluded bowel length percentage (Exl.B%) decreased significantly from 72.4 ± 3.18% to 12.3 ± 1.99% after conversion (p = 0.005). All patients were diabetic before and had remission after TB. Glycemic control was preserved after the conversion, with a median HbA1c of 5.4% compared to 5.8% before conversion.

GJIB may be a viable revision procedure for resolving PEM and related complications without compromising the metabolic benefits of the initial surgery on diabetes resolution by decreasing the Exl.B%.