Gastric Bypass Surgery

Gastric bypass is a type of weight loss surgery used for the treatment of obesity. It is a combination of both restriction and malabsorption. Gastric bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller and allows food to bypass part of the small intestine. The procedure is performed to restrict food intake and reduce calorie and nutrient absorption. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most commonly performed gastric bypass surgery.

In a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the stomach is made smaller by creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach using surgical staples or a plastic band. You will feel full more quickly than when your stomach was its original size, which reduces the amount of food you eat and thus the calories consumed. This leads to weight loss. In normal digestion, food passes through the stomach and enters the small intestine where most of the nutrients and calories are absorbed. It then passes into the large intestine (colon), and the remaining waste is eventually excreted.

Procedure

The procedure is performed as a standard open procedure or as a laparoscopic procedure. The laparoscopic approach can be made by making several small incisions rather than an open procedure which involves a single large incision. In the laparoscopic procedure small instruments and a tiny camera are used to guide the surgery. In this surgery, a small pouch is created by stapling the upper part of the stomach. Next the small intestine is cut into two sections. The lower section of the small intestine is attached to the opening in the stomach pouch, bypassing a large portion of the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine (duodenum).

Advantages

High cure rate of type 2 diabetes and health conditions related to obesity such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, arthritis in joints such as the knees, and high cholesterol
Overall improved sense of wellness and better capacity to exercise and be mobile to improve health
Obesity surgery has been in existence for a long time; first gastric bypass was performed in 1967. Most research and data in scientific journals

Risks of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Risks include bowel obstruction, malnutrition, staple line leak and infection.

Contact Our Office

From the first phone call to your follow-up visits you will feel well cared for by Dr. Shillingford and his staff. Support staff, psychiatry, psychology, nutrition experts and support groups are available to aid patients through the process. To learn more about gastric bypass surgery, please call (561) 483-8840 to schedule an appointment or click to request an appointment online.