Gastric Bypass Surgery

How Does it Work?

Gastric Bypass Surgery

With gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is divided into two parts, an upper pouch and a large lower pouch. During this procedure, the small pouch is connected to a portion of the small intestine that is lower.

With the RNY, patients lose weight from having food digested through an alternative method. The new stomach restricts food-intake and the bypassed intestines reduce the food absorption into the body.

The New "RNY Pouch"

This procedure is called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. This creates a direct path for food to be digested without consuming many of the calories. However, this does keep nutrients from being absorbed from the body too. Recovery time is two to three weeks with a two to three-day hospital stay following surgery.

Procedure Details

There are two components in performing gastric bypass surgery;

1. Create a small stomach pouch. By separating the original stomach into two different parts, the small pouch will hold food while the larger portion of the stomach continues creating digestive fluids.

2. Next, the new stomach pouch is connected to a bypassed portion of the small intestines (called the jejunum).

After eating food, it travels into the new, smaller stomach pouch. Then it continues through the bypassed portion of the small intestines creating less caloric-intake and a faster digestion process.

Results

Gastric Bypass (RNY) is a well-established weight loss surgery option with results showing 80% remission of type 2 diabetes. Gastric Bypass is more reserved for individuals with higher BMI's (body mass indexes) – typically 40 or above.

Patients can expect to lose on average of 60 to 80% of excess weight loss in the first year. The gastric bypass is a very effective tool that has the potential for long-term weight loss and healthy living.