The purpose of this study is to determine whether gastric division (via Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) with resultant fundic isolation will alter the pattern(s) of Ghrelin secretion in the early post-operative period following feeding in morbidly obese subjects.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Serum creatinine and liver function tests < upper limits of normal
• Stable body weights for the past three months
• Women will have a negative pregnancy test
• patients who are already scheduled for RYGB with gastrostomy tube placement

Exclusion Criteria:

• Significant hepatic enzyme elevations (more than 100% of upper limits of normal)
• Serum creatinine > 1.5 mg/dl
• history of ketoacidosis or current metabolic acidosis
• current use of oral anticoagulants
• Positive pregnancy test (beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin) for females
• intercurrent infections
• patients with prior gastric operations

Subjects were morbidly obese, scheduled for RYGB with gastric tube placement. Controls were matched to subjects by BMI, age, gender.