Gastric Bypass

Using the Roux-en-Y technique, the surgeon re-routes and shortens the digestive system. Patients generally lose the most weight. This procedure is reversible.

Weight loss

Gastric bypass patients lose about 3 to 4 pounds per week, losing up to 70 percent of their excess weight. This rapid weight loss will taper off over time as you reach your optimal weight.

Notes

Often called the gold standard of weight-loss surgery, gastric bypass helps patients lose more weight than other procedures—and generally at a faster pace. Gastric bypass patients also generally keep their weight off longer. It is the most common weight-loss surgery, performed an estimated 140,000 times per year in the United States. During the procedure, surgeons reduce the size of the stomach—about the size of a football—to the size of an egg. The stomach is divided into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower "remnant" pouch. The upper pouch is then connected directly to the small intestine. The shorter route makes patients feel full faster and reduces the calories absorbed.

Risks

Patients can have respiratory problems, leaking, hernias, bowel obstructions, ulcers, intolerance to certain foods, and nutritional deficiencies. Patients must take special vitamins for the rest of their lives.

Saint Luke’s surgeons perform almost all of their procedures laparoscopically. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive method requiring much smaller incisions than traditional open surgery. This leads to less pain, a shorter hospital stay, and fewer complications.