Gastric Bypass

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass involves stapling of a small section at the top of the stomach to create a small pouch similar in size to the one formed by the gastric band. The first section of the small intestine is then bypassed and the intestine reattached to the new pouch, allowing the stomach contents to empty directly into it. With the reduced food intake, less absorption of food in the intestine and some hormonal changes, weight loss after a gastric bypass can be rapid, especially in the first few months.

The gastric bypass operation is performed laparoscopically (keyhole technique) and takes about an hour and a half, with a total hospital stay of 2-3 nights. It is a major operation and you would expect to be off work for around four to six weeks afterwards. There is a quoted 0.5% risk of dying during or as a result of the gastric bypass operation, mainly due to the risk of developing blood clots, haemorrage or leaks, so we take great care to minimize this risks with pre-op preparation for surgery and expert inpatient care.

As a result of both the weight loss and hormonal changes with a gastric bypass, many obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea etc often go into remission after surgery.

The gastric bypass cannot be reversed. After gastric bypass surgery, absorption of essential minerals and vitamins may be reduces and taking supplements and monitoring your nutritional status is an essential part of your long term follow up care.