Size, volume and weight of the stomach in patients with morbid obesity compared to controls

Background: There is no mention in surgical literature regarding anatomic measurements of the stomach in patients with morbid obesity. We investigated by a prospective study the length of the lesser and greater curvature, the volume or total capacity and the weight of the stomach in morbidly obese patients compared to controls. Methods: 30 patients with different degrees of morbid obesity were compared to 20 controls. Measurements included length of both curvatures of the stomach, weight and total volume of saline needed to distend the stomach. Patients with morbid obesity were submitted to resectional gastric bypass. The stomach of controls was obtained from autopsy material during the first day after death. Results: The length of the lesser curvature, total gastric capacity and weight of the stomach of morbidly obese patients were similar to control subjects. The length of greater curvature was significantly less in patients with morbid obesity. Conclusions: No significant differences were found in anatomic measurements of the stomach between control subjects and patients with morbid obesity.