Gastric bypass is the most frequently performed weight loss surgery in the United States. In recent years, the gastric bypass has become widely practiced using minimally invasive techniques which usually reduces hospital stays, and leads to a faster, more comfortable recovery.
During gastric bypass, our bariatric surgeons reduce the size of your stomach by creating a small pouch at the top and then allows food to bypass part of the small intestine. The pouch is about the size of a walnut and holds abut an ounce of food, reducing the amount of food you can eat before feeling full. The upper portion of the small intestine is then divided in half. One half is used to form a new outlet for the tiny new stomach pouch. The other half is reconnected downstream from the division, forming the “Y” described in the name Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
Because the first part of your small intestine is bypassed, there is less opportunity for food calories to be absorbed into your body resulting in additional weight loss.
Although most of your stomach and the upper part of the small intestine no longer have food traveling through them, they still produce important digestive juices that are emptied into the small intestine and help with digestion.
What to expect from Gastric Bypass
Most people who have gastric bypass experience a 50 to 60 percent reduction in excess weight in the first two years following surgery. The weight loss is related to how closely you follow the dietary and exercise guidelines that your surgeon and his bariatric surgery team provide for you.
Other benefits that patients often see following weight loss surgery are:
- Improvement or resolution of Type 2 diabetes
- Reduction in blood pressure
- Reduction in blood cholesterol levels
- Improvement or resolution of sleep apnea
- Improvement in mobility and ability to perform your daily activities
Minimally Invasive Gastric Bypass Surgery
At Hollywood Bariatrics, we perform gastric bypass surgery using either laparoscopic techniques or the da Vinci® Surgical System whenever possible. Laparoscopic surgery uses a specialized surgical scope to view and complete the surgery through a series of minute incisions in the abdominal wall. The da Vinci Surgical System is an advanced surgical console that gives your bariatric surgeon a 3D, high-definition view and precisely controlled robotic arms with even greater range of motion than the human wrist.
Both laparoscopic techniques and the da Vinci Surgical System are minimally invasive, meaning they remove the need for the large, open incisions required by traditional surgical techniques. Surgery is instead completed through pinpoint incisions no more than a few centimeters in size, which results in a number of potential benefits for the patient, including:
- Lower risk of surgical complications and infections
- Reduced pain and length of hospital stay
- Faster return to normal activities
- Less scarring and blood loss
Minimally invasive surgery requires advanced training, but our surgeons are experienced in the use of laparoscopic techniques and the da Vinci system for both weight loss surgery and general surgery.