Gastric Bypass

Struggling to lose weight despite diet and exercise? Gastric bypass surgery may be an option for those with a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 40, or those with BMI over 35 and weight-related health problems like type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea. This procedure can be a powerful tool for weight loss and improving overall health.

Treatment

Gastric bypass surgery is performed under general anesthesia, ensuring you’re comfortably asleep throughout. There are two main surgical approaches:

• Open surgery: This method involves a single larger incision in the abdomen for direct access to the stomach and small intestine.
• Laparoscopic surgery: This minimally invasive technique uses several small incisions. A laparoscope, a thin instrument with a camera, is inserted to provide magnified views on a monitor, guiding the surgeon’s work with specialized tools.

Regardless of the approach, the surgeon creates a small pouch from the upper portion of your stomach. This pouch, about the size of a walnut, significantly limits the amount of food you can comfortably consume, promoting feelings of fullness.

Next, the surgeon reroutes the small intestine. A section of the lower small intestine is reconnected directly to the new stomach pouch. This bypasses the remaining stomach and the first part of the small intestine, reducing the overall surface area available for nutrient absorption, which contributes to weight loss.