In the past decade or so, there have been explosive increases in both the incidence of severe obesity and weight loss; bariatric-surgery. It has been shown that the incidence of bariatric surgical procedures has increased over 600% in the last decade. It is estimated that approximately 200,000 Americans - and another 200,000 adults world wide - will undergo a bariatric operation in 2006. This dramatic increase in operative cases is in part a testament to the safety and efficacy of the currently performed surgical procedures including the roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, and the biliopancreatic diversion - with or without duodenal switch.