Jobs was reportedly undergoing reconstructive surgery called the Whipple operation in 2004 (via). Britannica). According to Mayo Clinic, the Whipple procedure — also referred to as a pancreaticoduodenectomy — is a risky and technically demanding surgery that is used to remove pancreatic tumors. Per WebMDThe Whipple procedure, which is positioned at the top of the islet cell tumor, is the primary operation. “head of the pancreas.”
This procedure involves the removal and reattachment of many internal structures including the head and gallbladder and parts of bile duct and bile duct. The remaining organs are then reattached back to the small intestinale. Mayo Clinic says this allows the patient to digest food after surgery.
WebMDThis surgery is considered particularly dangerous due to the possibility of infection, bleeding and abnormal connections between body parts. Jobs wasn’t in good health for long and was back at the operating table just a few years later.