Question:
My surgeon will be bypassing 50 cm of intestine and the common chanel wil be 150 cm

are there any experts out there that can tell me if this is distal or proximal? I am so confused by this    — Sandra C. (posted on February 24, 2002)

February 25, 2002
I think you are right to be confused, since those numbers don't add up. Most adults have around 700 cm of small intestine. If you're going to have a 150 cm common channel, that means you'll have 550 cm bypassed... everyone would call that a distal. However, if the surgeon only bypasses 50cm, you will have a 650 cm common channel and will be a pretty close-in proximal. The long and short of it is that you need to ask your surgeon again. Ask for a drawing. Hope this helps.
   — Julia M.