Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass surgery for weight loss involves several steps. First, the stomach is divided and stapled, creating a small stomach or gastric pouch at the upper part of the stomach. The small intestine is then cut, stapled, brought up and connected to the new pouch. This new pouch will empty food contents into the bowel. The lower stomach and a portion of the small intestine are bypassed (meaning that no food enters these areas) as result of the newly altered digestive tract. “Roux-en-Y” refers to the Y-shaped appearance of the altered small intestine after the bypass. This procedure is most often done laparoscopically.

Advantages:

• Rapid initial weight loss.
• At two years, average weight loss is 70-80% of excess weight.
  
• Hypertension and diabetes are clinically reversed or improved in over 90% of patients.
  
• Dumping (an uncomfortable physical reaction) can occur with foods high in fat and sugar which can help modify eating behavior.

Risks (immediately after surgery):

• Infection
  
• Bleeding
  
• Injury to other organs
  
• Leak
  
• Pneumonia
  
• Blood clots
  
• Cardiovascular

Risks (longer -term):

• Hernia
  
• Bowel obstruction
  
• Stomal Stenosis
  
• Vitamin deficiency
  
• Malnutrition
  
• Marginal ulcers
  
• Gallstones
  
• Vomiting
  
• Dumping Syndrome
  
• Depression