WERNICKE-KORSAKOFF ENCEPHALOPATHY FOLLOWING BILIOPANCREATIC DIVERSION

Wernicke-Korsakoff disease with sensory-motor neuropathy was diagnosed in three out of a series of 1663 patients (0.18%), with onset 2, 3 an d 5 months after biliopancreatic diversion. Precipitating factors were vomiting, minimal food intake, anorexia, rapid weight loss, and gluco se-containing intravenous feeding. Recovery was partial in two and com plete in one of the patients. In the early postop, prophylactic thiami ne should be given to the patients with excessively limited eating cap acity. Larger doses of thiamine should be instituted parenterally eith er in the case of suspected Wernicke-Korsakoff encephalopathy or befor e starting feeding for protein malnutrition.