Gastric Bypass Surgery

What Is Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery involves re-routing the path that food takes through the digestive system. It "bypasses" a part of the small intestine. As a result, less food is absorbed into the body, cutting down on the amount of fat and the number of calories the body will store.

Gastric bypass surgery is done under general anesthesia and takes approximately one to four hours to complete. Hospital stays range from one to seven days, depending on the type of procedure that's done, and other health factors relevant to the patient.

Gastric bypass surgery is a type of surgery known as bariatric surgery, which is done to help obese persons lose weight when diet, exercise and other measures have failed. It is often called stomach surgery even though the stomach may not be the only organ involved in the procedure.

Types of gastric bypass surgery

There are currently two types of gastric bypass surgery, the "Roux en Y" procedure and the biliopancreatic diversion bypass.

The Roux-en-Y can be done the traditional way, using a large incision in the abdomen. It can also be done laparoscopically, using several small incisions and a special tube equipped with a tiny camera. There's less scarring when the procedure is done with a laparoscope, and the recovery time is shorter. But laparoscopic Roux en Y operations haven't been around as long as "open" surgeries, so long term results are unknown.

The Roux-en-Y bypass is being done more often because it's generally simpler than the biliopancreatic diversion bypass.

The biliopancreatic diversion bypass is done less frequently than Roux en Y. It's more complicated because it's done through a large incision in the abdomen, leaves a permanent scar, and requires a longer recovery. There's also a higher risk of nutritional problems.

Gastric bypass operations have helped hundreds of thousands of morbidly obese people lose weight and enjoy a better quality of life. They feel that they look better, they're able to get around more easily, and there's usually an overall improvement in their health.

Nonetheless, this surgery is serious, and no one should take such an operation lightly.

Note: Lap-Band surgery is a form of weight loss surgery, but it doesn't involve an intestinal bypass element. Therefore it isn't really gastric bypass surgery, and is covered elsewhere.

Many people mistakenly refer to all "weight loss" stomach surgery procedures as gastric bypass surgery. In fact, a gastric bypass refers to surgery that involves not just the stomach, but also the intestines.

Related article: Stomach Surgery For Weight Loss.