Basics Relating To Gastric Bypass Surgery

By Brian Anderson


Bariatric operations are types of surgeries that help in weight loss. The idea is to reduce the food that can be held by the stomach at a given point in time (which reduces food intake) or to reduce the absorption of both. Some modalities achieve their results through both mechanisms. Gastric bypass surgery is one of the commonly performed weight loss operations in New York.

Weight-loss surgeries should only be considered after other conservative measures such as lifestyle changes have proved to be ineffective. They are suitable for persons that are at a high risk of developing weight related complications such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and gastro-esophageal reflux disease among others. The candidate should have a body mass index of 40 or more unless they already have complications where the cutoff is lowered to 35.

As soon as you have been booked for the operation, you will be instructed on what you need to do as part of the preparation. You may be subjected to some tests to establish if you can withstand the operation. You may be asked to withhold on some drugs or foods to reduce the risk of complications. If you smoke, you should stop at least two weeks in advance.

There are several types of gastric bypass operations that exist. The most common is known as the Roux-en-Y. It can be performed through a small incision which helps to reduce the time needed for recovery. The first step in this operation is to staple the stomach together or to place a band in the vertical plane which converts the organ into a small pouch. This reduces the amount of food that can be held at any given point in time.

The second step is the fashioning of a Y-shaped portion of the intestines and attaching it onto the pouch. This means that the food can move directly from the pouch (stomach) into the Y-shaped portion and bypass another part (hence the term). The result of this is a reduction in the absorption of nutrients and calories. The rate of weight gain is markedly reduced within weeks to months.

Extensive gastric bypass (also referred to as biliopancreatic diversion) is more radical. While it may be an option for weight loss, its main indication is biliary obstruction due to liver disease. The operation itself involves the removal of the lower stomach and the joining of the upper stomach portion to the last portion of the intestines. The other two portions are skipped. Due to severe nutrient deficiency, the procedure is not done routinely.

One needs to be familiar with the possible risks of these operations. One of the risks is the fact that the pouch can dilate over time and increase in size. The dilatation may even cause it to revert to its original size. The band may be eroded causing it to disintegrate together with the staples. This effectively reverses the procedure. In rare circumstances, stomach acids can leak and cause injury to internal organs.

Dumping syndrome is a collection of symptoms that may be experienced by persons that have undergone the bypass procedure. Within 10 to 30 minutes of eating, there is a sudden onset of nausea, weakness, abdominal discomfort and at times, fainting. This syndrome is likely to be encountered when one eats sugary foods or sweets and is caused by the rapid movement of eaten foods through the stomach into the small intestines.




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