Gastric bypass surgery, a type of bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery), is a medical procedure that divides the stomach into two parts (a smaller upper pouch and a larger lower pouch) and reroutes the small intestine so that it is connected to both pouches.
Bariatric surgery works in one of three ways:
- Restriction, or limiting the amount of food intake by reducing the size of the stomach
- Malabsorption, or limiting the absorption of foods in the intestinal tract by "bypassing" a portion of the small intestine to varying degrees
- Combination of both restriction and malabsorption
Who Should Undergo surgery?
Potential candidates for bariatric surgery include:
- People with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40
- Men who are 100 pounds over their ideal body weight or women who are 80 pounds over their ideal body weight
- People with a BMI of 35 or more who have another condition such as obesity-related type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, or heart disease
What are the risks of gastric bypass surgery?
Studies show that 15% of patients experience post-surgical complications.
Also, some possible complications include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Infection
- Blood clots
- Pneumonia
- Bleeding ulcer
- Development of gallstones
- Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
References: nejm.org ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Other resources:
- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) was founded in 1947 to promote the science and art of family medicine.
- American Obesity Association The Obesity Society (TOS) is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to expanding research, prevention, and treatment of obesity and reduction in stigma and discrimination affecting persons with obesity.
- American Society for Metabloic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the largest non-profit medical organization in the world dedicated to metabolic and bariatric surgery, and obesity-related diseases and conditions.
- Association for Obesity Help This website dedicated to the education, empowerment and support of all individuals affected by obesity, along with their families, friends, employers, surgeons and physicians.
- Weight-control Information Network WIN provides the general public and health professionals with evidence-based information and resources on obesity, weight control, physical activity and related topics.
* The content of this website is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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