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Almost all of your stomach has been surgically removed.

The stomach is located in the upper abdomen. The stomach has a curved shape, creating a big curve and a small notch. The stomach is made up of different sections. Food reaches the entrance to the stomach through the gullet (oesophagus). The food is then transported into the body of the stomach. The fundus of the stomach is located at the top of the stomach. Air often collects there. There is a small extension further down in the stomach. This is the section in front of the end of the stomach or pyloric orifice. There is a sphincter muscle, the pylorus, at the end of the stomach. The pylorus transports the food in portions into the small intestine.

The operation removed your pylorus and most of the body of your stomach. A small section of the beginning of your small intestine was also removed. The open end at the top of your small intestine was then stitched shut. A part of your small intestine further down was then stitched, at the side, to the remaining upper section of your stomach.

Post-surgery, food is now getting from your stomach straight to the part of your small intestine that is lower down. So food is no longer being moved through the top section of your small intestine. However, the digestive juices from your liver and pancreas are still flowing into that section of your small intestine. The digestive juices then blend with the food lower down in the small intestine.

The operation also involved removing all of the lymph nodes around your stomach and some of those around other organs in your abdomen. The lymph nodes are small bean-shaped objects. They are found throughout the body. Lymph nodes filter the tissue fluid. They are part of the defense system.