Gastric bypass surgery, or the Roux-en-Y (from French), is a weight loss and metabolic procedure that slightly modifies the digestive system, enabling the patient to absorb and consume fewer calories. In other words, it changes both the patient’s stomach and small intestine.
If you are looking for options regarding gastric bypass in Miami, reading this article should be your first step on your weight loss journey. Our experts have created a comprehensive list of all the vital info surrounding the intervention, from preparation to the process itself. We also talk about sporadic gastric bypass complications and will also touch base on realistic recovery times from bariatric surgery.
Roux-En-Y: Who Is It For, and What Does It Do?
Like all other bariatric interventions, gastric bypass also caters to patients who have been previously diagnosed with severe clinical obesity. As with other types of bariatric surgery, the Roux-en-Y can also help in treating health conditions related to obesity, such as hypertension, type two diabetes, chronic acid reflux, and obstructive sleep apnea.
The procedure’s name comes from how it manages to alter the digestive system. The French term “Roux-en-Y” literally means “in the shape of a Y,” meaning that the surgery divides the small intestine and the stomach, connecting each new segment together in the form of a “Y” shape.
Gastric Bypass Surgery and Weight Loss
The procedure works by reducing the size of the functional stomach significantly while the rest is separated with surgical staples. This way, the amount of food the patient’s stomach can hold is reduced considerably. The new, small pouch is also connected to the small intestine’s lower segment, meaning that the food that goes through the digestive system will bypass most of the stomach and the small intestine’s first part so that the digestive system won’t be able to absorb nutrients (and calories) that efficiently.
Gastric bypass is a well-studied, practiced, documented, and refined intervention that’s been available for the last 50 years. It was the most popular bariatric surgery for a long time, but it has been overtaken by other, less invasive options such as the gastric sleeve.
That said, even though it’s a safe intervention, it constitutes serious surgery. It’s a major operation that will alter the digestive system for a long time to come, with patients having to take care of it for the rest of their life.
Roux-En-Y: How Much Weight Can Patients Lose?
Experts agree that the weight loss with the procedure is exceptionally significant, especially in the first two years after the intervention, where patients can lose around 70% of the extra weight. It’s documented that some patients may gain some of the weight back, but on average, patients will keep down half of the lost weight.
Apart from the obvious weight loss benefits, gastric bypass can also help in other areas of obesity-related health problems. The conditions the surgery can improve include the following:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Heart diseases
- Hyperlipidemia
- Hyperglycemia
- Sleep apnea
- Osteoarthrosis
- Fatty liver disease
- Gastroesophageal reflux
Gastric Bypass Surgery Details
As mentioned above, the surgery divides the patient’s small intestine and stomach, connecting the stomach’s new pouch to the new “branch” of the new intestine.
Patients must be recommended for the procedure by a qualified expert, and the candidates usually are:
- Patients who have been diagnosed with class II obesity, with a body mass index (BMI) over 40.
- Patients with a BMI of 35 and obesity-related health problems
- Patients with obesity-related type 2 diabetes.
Apart from this, patients might have to meet additional requirements as well. Patients will also meet up with a team of experts for screening tests and counseling to tell whether:
- The patient is ready for a lifelong commitment, as the surgery won’t prove effective unless patients aren’t prepared to change their dietary habits.
- Whether the patient is mentally and physically fit for the intervention, to make sure that the procedure will be safe.
- That the patient has failed to lose weight by other means.
Performing the Surgery
Nowadays, Roux-en-Y interventions are performed with the help of a laparoscope, involving only a few small incisions. These smaller cuts mean that there will be fewer gastric bypass complications, and faster recovery for bariatric surgery, in general.
Sometimes, the procedure is performed with robotic assistance, where robotic arms hold the laparoscope and the other medical instruments instead of the doctor. At the same time, the expert controls the arms via a computer console.
Rarely, some laparoscopic interventions may need to be converted into open surgeries to carry them out safely.
During surgery, the doctor makes a single “keyhole incision” in the abdomen and uses carbon dioxide gas to inflate the abdominal cavity for easier access.
Then, the expert will insert the laparoscope in the incision to visualize the patient’s organs. Then, additional incisions will be made to access the organs.
After this, doctors will divide the stomach’s top portion with the rest with a surgical stapler, leaving a small pouch. Then, experts will also divide the small intestine and will, bring the lower segment up and attach it to the pouch.
Then, the upper branch of the small intestine will be reattached to the trunk down further. This means the patient will have two branches of the small intestine attached to the trunk, with one leading from the pouch and the other from the stomach’s remainder.
Benefits and Risks
Over the long term, this type of bariatric surgery has the best success rates, with significant and consistent weight loss even decades later. Also, obesity-related health conditions will improve or even resolve.
On the other hand, gastric bypass complications may happen that are typically the same as with other types of surgeries, such as:
- Infections
- Anesthesia reactions
- Excessive bleeding
In rarer cases, other complications may also occur, but they can be effectively minimized if patients work with an expert team of providers and adhere to the lifestyle changes that come with the surgery.
Gastric Bypass Recovery
Hospital stays are usually no longer than a day, and the rest of the recovery weeks are spent at home. Strenuous activity will usually be avoided for up to six weeks, and patients may need around twelve weeks to resume their normal life.
Lifestyle and Diet Changes are Key
As mentioned above, while gastric bypass surgery is safe and effective, its full potential can be only exploited if patients adhere to the lifestyle changes it requires. On that end, if you’d like to learn more about the diet and recommended lifestyle changes, feel free to reach out to our experts.
During our consultation, we can also assess other weight loss methods and talk more in-depth about every option to see which option can be tailored best to your needs based on your condition and goals.
Contact Surgical Solutions of Miami today and take the first step on a life-altering journey toward better health and improved life quality.