Gastric Bypass

What is a gastric bypass?

A gastric bypass is a type of weight loss surgery for people who are severely overweight or obese. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has long been the gold standard in bariatric surgery, as it’s the most effective way of producing rapid and long-lasting weight loss.

Gastric bypass surgery takes about three hours and you need to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days. Most patients find they can return to work and start leading a normal life in around two weeks.

Gastric bypass is an irreversible procedure.

How does a gastric bypass help me lose weight?

A gastric bypass works in two ways:

Restriction

Restriction occurs because the AMI Surgery team staples a large portion of your stomach to create a small pouch. Everything you eat has to fit in this pouch, which only holds about an ounce. This makes it impossible to overeat.

Malabsorption

Malabsorption means you can’t extract nutrients from your food as effectively as you did before your gastric bypass surgery. This is because the procedure involves stapling and rerouting the section of your intestines where you absorb the most calories.

Gastric bypass surgery can also cause changes in your body that resolve common obesity-related conditions like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and musculoskeletal pain.

What happens when I have gastric bypass surgery?

The AMI Surgery team uses minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques to perform gastric bypass surgery. A laparoscope is an instrument that forms a flexible tube, which passes into your body through small incisions rather than a large, open wound.

Your surgeon uses the camera on the end of the laparoscope to view the surgery site on a monitor in the operating room. This technique causes significantly less tissue damage than open surgery, which means you experience less pain and blood loss and make a faster recovery.

What happens after my gastric bypass surgery?

After gastric bypass surgery, you’ll go on a special diet. This diet helps your body heal properly and start losing weight. You should see a difference within a few weeks.

Because of gastric bypass surgery’s malabsorption effect, you’ll need to take supplementary vitamins and other micronutrients for the rest of your life. AMI Surgery provides you with all the information you need regarding your new diet and supplement requirements.

To find out more about gastric bypass surgery, call AMI Surgery or schedule a consultation online today.