In the history of bariatric surgery, few names carry more weight than Edward E. Mason, MD, FACS. Dr. Mason invented the gastric bypass in 1967, the foundational procedure from which modern weight loss surgery descends. His surgical philosophy, summarized in the phrase he coined himself, has defined a generation of bariatric surgeons: Keep it simple, surgeon.
In a published editorial in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, Dr. Mason, then Emeritus Professor of Surgery at the University of Iowa, was asked what he envisioned for the future of bariatric surgery. His answer named Dr. Elias Darido’s work directly.
“Elias and co-workers have shown in rodent and growing porcine models that the ballooning portion of the stomach can be invaginated rather than resected. Fundic invagination could be called a sleeve gastrotomy, since it is to sleeve gastrectomy as gastric bypass is to gastric resection. I envision sleeve gastrotomy as the operation of choice for all ages and times.”
— Edward E. Mason, MD, FACS, Inventor of Gastric Bypass Surgery SOARD, Volume 11, Issue 2, pp. 286-287
Edward E. Mason, MD, FACS
Dr. Mason invented the gastric bypass procedure in 1967 and spent his career advancing the principle of minimal, reversible intervention in weight loss surgery. His endorsement of Dr. Darido’s gastric fundus invagination research represents the fulfillment of his original surgical philosophy: save the stomach, keep it simple.
What Is Gastric Fundus Invagination?
Gastric Fundus Invagination (GFI), also called sleeve gastrotomy, is a novel weight loss procedure designed and developed by Dr. Darido. Rather than removing the fundus (the ballooning upper portion of the stomach that drives hunger and holds excess food volume), GFI folds it inward and anastomoses it internally to the gastric antrum.
The result is a functionally smaller stomach with dramatically reduced capacity, similar in effect to sleeve gastrectomy, but without any stomach tissue being permanently removed. The complete stomach remains anatomically intact and reversible.
- Reversible: The stomach is folded, not resected. A reversal operation is possible if clinically needed later in life, preserving options for patients of all ages.
- Simpler Approach: Consistent with Dr. Mason’s founding principle, keep weight loss surgery as straightforward as possible without sacrificing efficacy.
- No Staple Line Risk: No gastric resection means no staple line along the cut stomach edge, eliminating a primary source of leak risk in sleeve gastrectomy.
- Stomach Preserved: Complete gastric anatomy is preserved. Normal digestion and physiological function remain available if the procedure is ever reversed.
GFI vs. Existing Procedures
| Feature | Sleeve Gastrectomy | GFI / Sleeve Gastrotomy | Gastric Bypass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reversible | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✕ No |
| Stomach preserved | ✕ Partial | ✓ Complete | ✕ Bypassed |
| Staple line resection | ✕ Required | ✓ None | ✕ Required |
| Suitable for adolescents | △ With caution | ✓ Yes | △ With caution |
| Surgical complexity | Moderate | Lower | Higher |
“Darido’s sleeve gastrotomy (fundic invagination) should be as successful as sleeve gastrectomy. My original goal of decreasing the need for stomach resection will again be fulfilled. Complete stomachs will remain available by a simple reversal operation if needed later in life.”
— Edward E. Mason, MD, FACS SOARD, Volume 11, Issue 2, pp. 286-287
The Published Research
Dr. Darido’s work on GFI has been published in peer-reviewed bariatric surgery literature, the scientific foundation that drew Dr. Mason’s formal endorsement.
“A special thanks to Elias Darido and coworkers for their imagination of invagination with internal anastomosis of the fundus to the antrum. Save the stomach, using education, scientific study and clinical translation. Keep it simple, surgeon.”
— Edward E. Mason, MD, FACS SOARD, Volume 11, Issue 2, pp. 286-287
Is GFI Right for You?
At Houston Weight Loss Surgery Center, each patient considering weight loss surgery receives a personal evaluation with Dr. Darido himself. That consultation reviews your health history, prior treatments, weight loss goals, and long-term needs to determine the most appropriate surgical approach for your situation.
If you are considering weight loss surgery and want to understand all available options, including emerging procedures like gastric fundus invagination, call us or request a consultation below.
References
1. Mason EE. Interview with the father of bariatric surgery. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (SOARD). 2015;11(2):286-287.
2. Darido E, Overby DW, Brownley KA, Farrell TM. Evaluation of gastric fundus invagination for weight loss in a porcine model. Obesity Surgery. 2012;22(8):1293-1297.
3. Darido E, Moore JR. Comparison of gastric fundus invagination and gastric greater curvature plication for weight loss in a rat model of diet-induced obesity. Obesity Surgery. 2014;24(6):897-902.