What is Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Gastric Bypass Surgery (GBS) is a surgery used to treat morbid obesity. GBS can be done as an open or a laparoscopic procedure. First, the stomach is stapled to make a smaller pouch, thereby restricting food intake. Next, a section of the small intestine is attached (usually through stapling) to the pouch to allow food to bypass the lower stomach, the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine), and the first portion of the jejunum (the second segment of the small intestine). As a result, a patient cannot eat as much and absorbs fewer nutrients and calories. In rare cases, a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) is performed to avoid the gallstones that may result from rapid weight loss.


Advantages

With gastric bypass surgery, patients can lose weight quickly and continue to lose for 18 to 24 months after the procedure. A review of published studies showed that 5 years after surgery, GBS patients achieved an average weight loss of 58%. This kind of significant weight loss can help improve health problems associated with severe obesity, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and osteoarthritis.


How does Gastric Bypass (GBP) help me lose weight?

First, gastric bypass reduces the size of your stomach and by doing so decreases nutrient absorption.  A normal stomach can hold 1 to 2 quarts and is about the size of a football.  After surgery, your new stomach pouch will be around the size of an egg and will only hold ¼ to ½ cup.  This small amount of food will make you feel full.  The absorptive area of your stomach is reduced by at least 1/3rd of its original area.  You will need to take vitamin and mineral supplements as directed by your physician to ensure you absorb the amounts your body needs.

Some vitamin and mineral supplements you will need to take include a daily chewable children’s vitamin, vitamin B-12 can calcium citrate with vitamin D.  Your physician will discuss a list just for you after your lab work is completed

A realistic weight loss is 50 to 80% of excess weight by your second year after surgery.  Ideal body weight is equal to 100 pounds for the first 5 feet in height plus 5 pounds for each added inch for women. For men, it is equal to 106 pounds for the first 5 feet plus 6 pounds for each additional inch.

Example:  For a person weighing 300 pounds and whose ideal body weight is 150 pounds (150 pounds of excess body weight), successful weight loss at 2 years post-surgery would be a loss of 75 to 120 pounds.  This person would then weigh 180 to 225 pounds.

Post-Operation 

Gastric bypass patients have a 2 day in-patient stay. The surgery is completed on Thursday, and patients usually return home on Saturday.

The return to work time frame for the bypass is 2 to 3 weeks depending on the type of work you do. Follow up visits are scheduled for 2 weeks post op, then at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.

Risks

In addition to risks associated with restrictive procedures such as infection, combined procedures like GBS are more likely to lead to complications. The risk of death associated with GBS is less than 1%. Combined operations carry a greater risk than restrictive operations for abdominal hernias (up to 28%), which require a follow-up operation to correct. The risk of hernia, however, is lower (about 3%) with a laparoscopy.