Overview of Procedure

Gastric bypass surgery divides the stomach into one small upper pouch and one larger lower section. Then a new link is made between these two parts of the stomach and the intestines. This new link bypasses parts of the stomach where calories are absorbed.

Gastric by pass surgery both dramatically reduces stomach capacity and changes the function of the stomach. Bypassing the intestines means that the patient absorbs less nutrients from their food and the smaller pouch means they feel fuller faster.

Surgeons can use different techniques to make the new link to the intestines and these methods have different names but the most common gastric bypass surgery is called a Roux-en-Y, or RNY, gastric by pass.

The Right Candidates

Not everyone can qualify for gastric bypass surgery. There are guidelines that you must meet before a gastric bypass surgeon will even consider you for surgery. You must have, a body mass index of 40, body mass index of 30 or higher with obesity related health problems, must be at least 90 pounds overweight, obese for over five years, have tried all other methods of weight loss and have documented proof , have health related problems due to your obesity.

Risks and Side Effects

Complications that are normal with any major surgery that involves opening the abdomen such as gastric bypass surgery include: bleeding, infections, vomiting, gallstones, constipation, bowel obstruction and gastritis.

Other risks involved with gastric bypass surgery can include vitamin deficiency, calcium deficiency, iron deficiency, and the dumping syndrome.

Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery is performed under a general anaesthetic and usually is done using a surgical procedure called laparoscopy – sometimes known as “key-hole “surgery.

After the stomach is inflated, surgeons make a number of small incisions in the abdomen, rather than the large single incision used in traditional surgery. The laparoscope, or viewing tube, is inserted along with the instruments needed to perform the procedure.

The surgeon will create the small upper pouch using staplers and seal this pouch off from the rest of your stomach. Then a link is formed between the pouch and the intestines using a Y shaped part of the intestines.

No stomach parts are removed but most of the stomach is now bypassed. Food now goes directly to the second part of the small intestine, known as the jejunum, and this means the stomach absorbs less calories. Most of the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum, is now bypassed but the lower part of the stomach continues to work normally and produce the juices necessary for healthy digestion

Gastric by pass surgery takes between 1 and 2 hours. If you need to have open surgery rather than laparoscopic, or key-hole surgery, the operating time is reduced.

Recovery

You can expect to feel sore and swollen after gastric by pass surgery and should allow yourself up to 5 weeks before you resume normal activities.
For the first few weeks patients follow a liquid or highly- blended diet plan and solid foods are gradually reintroduced after about 6 weeks.

After surgery you will be helped to follow a new long term diet plan. After gastric by pass surgery, the stomach absorbs less nutrients from food so dietary supplements are recommended.

Results

Most people will lose about 70% of their excess weight in the 2 years following gastric by pass surgery. Research shows that most people maintain this weight loss over the years as they eat less.