Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

This operation is the most commonly performed restrictive procedure. First, a small stomach pouch is created. This pouch is the key to the operation. Filling the small pouch with a few bites of food makes a patient have the same feeling of fullness that they experienced before only after a large meal. A section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to enter the intestine, which is where absorption of the food happens. Because a part of the intestine is bypassed, the operation slightly reduces the body’s capability to absorb some nutrients, but calories are absorbed almost normally. This surgical procedure causes significant weight loss, and in turn, often cures obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes, sleep apnea, and hypertension. 

The bypass procedure can be performed through one large "open" incision or through very small ones (this is called laparoscopic surgery.) The laparoscopic operation is a less invasive procedure performed with the aid of a laparoscope. This scope allows visualization of the abdominal organs on a TV monitor. The surgical instruments are inserted through very small incisions in the abdominal wall. Almost all patients are candidates for the laparoscopic technique, but your surgeon will discuss the best option for your individual needs.