Gastric bypass (GBP) surgery was originally developed to treat patients with severe obesity. Nevertheless, in those with type 2 diabetes, GBP also exerts a spectacular effect on glucose metabolism, leading to remission of the diabetes in many cases. In this report, the basic principles of the surgical procedure are outlined together with a summary of the potential mechanisms that might explain the remarkable effects of this type of operation on glucose metabolism.
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.