What is it?
Gastric Bypass has been available for more than 35 years and is still a commonly used surgery in the United States. Gastric Bypass is traditionally done with a long incision in the abdomen, but can also be performed laparoscopically. It involves cutting the stomach off near the top so that a smaller pouch may be made, which is reconnected to the small intestine.
How does it work?
Two commonly used gastric bypass techniques are:
1. Roux-En-Y Bypass
2. Sleeve Gastrectomy
Roux-En-Y Bypass involves creating a small stomach pouch that is then attached to a
Y-shaped section of the small intestine. With this method, most of the stomach and top portions of the small intestine are bypassed. This procedure reduces the absorption of nutrients and therefore calorie intake. It is done through a major opening of the abdomen, requires staples and is irreversible.
Sleeve Gastrectomy is a newer method of Gastric Bypass, which removes two- thirds of the lateral stomach to form a new tube-shaped stomach. Sleeve Gastrectomy is often used as a primary operation to further bypass procedures for super obese (BMI of 60+) people who may need more radical bypass in the future.