Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Though there are many weight reducing operations that have been tried, none has been as well studied and as accepted as the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.  This operation restricts the amount you can eat by creating a small pouch that is about an ounce in size.  The operation also diverts the digestive juices that break down the food, to a third of the way down the intestine.  This lessens your ability to absorb your food, allowing you to lose weight.  The expected weight loss would be 50-70% of your excess body weight.           

This procedure can be competed using a minimally invasive (laparoscopic) or standard (open) approach.  The difference in the surgeries is perhaps a quicker recovery with the laparoscopic approach, but in the long-term, there is no difference in the two.  We perform both methods, but there are selection criteria that we follow.  

This procedure is completed at the hospital under general anesthesia, and requires a hospitalization of 4-5 days with the laparoscopic approach, and 5-7 days with the open approach.  Return to work is variable and depends on your progress and what your job requires.  The usual recovery period is 2-4 weeks.  Every person is different and their recovery period may vary.  After surgery, you will be expected to follow the dietary recommendations we give you, take the vitamin supplements, and keep your follow-up appointments.  You will need to crush any pills you take.  Anti-inflammatory medications (eg. Motrin, aspirin, Advil) are not to be used since they may cause serious pouch ulceration. 

Though it is not common that there are complications with this surgery,  they can be life-threatening.  This is important to consider since you are choosing to undergo surgery when you are currently “healthy”.  The risk of death is 0.5-1%, usually related to a leak at the connection of the intestine to the stomach pouch or a clot in the leg that goes to the lungs.  Other risks include, but are not limited to, bleeding, infection, pneumonia, bowel blockage, variable weight loss, vitamin or protein deficiency, and depression.  We take precautions to minimize any risk, and strive to continue our record of successful outcomes. 

When we meet with you in the office we will determine if this operation will meet your needs.  If you decide to proceed we will seek approval from your insurance provider, and then meet with you again to schedule the date for your operation.  This process may take several months, but it offers you a lifetime of change.