Reversible Bilio-pancreatic Diversion with Explorable Excluded Stomach—the Messina Technique

The authors propose a reversible bilio-pancreatic diversion with access to the bypassed stomach. In the Messina technique, bilio-pancreatic diversion is accomplished by transecting the stomach without gastric resection, as already described by Resa et al. In addition, a temporary gastrostomy is performed on the excluded stomach and allows direct postoperative exploration of the duodenum and the biliary tree. The Messina bilio-pancreatic diversion technique (MBPDT) seems to be safe and effective. The authors propose the MBPDT in a morbidly obese patient undergoing bariatric surgery when a malabsorptive operation is required, as it makes the original Scopinaro operation reversible, the bilio-pancreatic area explorable postoperatively, the operation shorter, and does not cause any significant increase in the postoperative complication rate. Larger numbers and longer follow-up, however, are needed to further confirm our data.