Gastric By-Pass

The gastric bypass is the surgical technique used most often in the United States for the management of morbid obesity. As a rule, the gastric bypass is usually used in morbidly obese patients, who because of their obesity, suffer from co-morbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.

In this procedure we isolate the upper most section of the stomach by dividing it and bypassing it to the small intestine. The length of this section may vary from patient to patient, according to predetermined criteria, and the individual’s BMI. The small intestine transports a variety of enzymes whose secretions are necessary for digestion, and thus it is attached to the distal portion of the bypass. As a result of this, food does not pass through the stomach to be ingested and, therefore, the patient will feel a sensation of fullness/satiety soon after he starts eating. This technique significantly reduces the absorption of food, and therefore, the patient must ingest vitamin supplements for life and have periodic in-patient visits with his/her doctor.
 
After the surgical procedure, the patient will have to stay admitted in the clinic for 3 days. After a final check up, the patient will be discharged from the clinic.

Despite being an invasive bariatric procedure, “it is not a magic wand”. It also depends on the patient. “The doctor can not eat for the patient and the doctor can not do the exercises for the patient”. This means that besides undergoing the surgical procedure, the patient must also change certain “daily bad habits” in order for the procedure to work at its maximal capacity.

This procedure involves stomach restriction and additionally creates a malabsorption syndrome.