Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass (short for the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) is a laparoscopic surgery involving two steps.
First, a small stomach pouch, approximately one ounce in volume, is created by dividing the top of your stomach from the rest of the stomach.
Then, the first portion of your small intestine is divided, and the bottom end of the divided small intestine is brought up and connected to the newly created small stomach pouch.
How Gastric Bypass Aids Weight Loss
After surgery, three main factors combine to contribute to your weight loss:
- You can't eat as much due to the smaller size of your stomach.
- The hormone that stimulates your appetite, grehlin, falls to a very low level.
- If you eat too much food (especially food that is too sweet) or consume food too quickly, you'll get abdominal cramps and nausea that will result in better food choices.
Gastric bypass has very predictable results and you can expect to lose 60-to-80 percent of your excess body weight during the first year after surgery.
Are you eligible for gastric bypass surgery?
Typically, weight loss surgery is only explored with candidates with a BMI over 35 to 40 and depending on other health issues and personal weight loss goals.
Other health issues may include:
- Heart disease
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- High cholesterol
- Stroke
- Sleep apnea
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Infertility
