Surgical Treatment of Obesity Through Gastric Bypass

Surgical Treatment of Obesity Through Gastric Bypass

Recently, we've all heard and seen information about various bariatric surgeries on television, including gastric bypass surgery. Society has promoted it through advertising, and people are divided in their support for it, some backing these techniques and others opposing them. So, is gastric bypass surgery truly a reliable procedure from a medical and scientific perspective, or is it harmful?

Let's learn more about this procedure together.

What is gastric bypass surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery, simply put, is a common procedure designed to help patients suffering from severe obesity lose weight.

In this procedure, doctors create a small pouch from the stomach and connect this newly created pouch directly to the small intestine. After this procedure, food enters the small pouch and then directly into the small intestine. This limits the amount of food the patient can eat and leads to a feeling of fullness and satiety sooner.

What are the types of gastric bypass surgery?

There are several types of gastric bypass surgery, differing in their procedures, such as:

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: This is the most common type of gastric bypass surgery. A small pouch is created in the stomach using a vertical ligation, and the surgeon then connects the Y-shaped section of the small intestine to this pouch.

Comprehensive gastric bypass (pancreatic biliary bypass): This is a more complex type. The lower part of the stomach is removed and connected to the last part of the small intestine, significantly shortening the digestive tract.

Why is gastric bypass surgery performed?

Gastric bypass surgery is primarily used to treat obesity. It is performed to help patients lose excess weight and prevent life-threatening weight-related health problems, including:

High blood pressure and cholesterol
Heart attack
Other heart conditions
Some types of cancer
Who are eligible for gastric bypass surgery? Gastric bypass surgery is usually only performed after a patient has made significant efforts to lose weight through diet and exercise.

Therefore, not all patients are candidates for this procedure. Here are some criteria a patient should meet:

A body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher (morbid obesity)
A BMI of 35-39 with serious weight-related health problems
In rare cases, patients with a BMI of 30-34 who have serious weight-related health problems
A willingness to participate in a medically supervised diet program

What are the results of gastric bypass surgery?

The results depend on the type of surgery and the lifestyle changes made, which include:

Patients can expect to lose 70% or more of their excess weight within two years.

Weight loss improves the patient's quality of life.
Patients become more confident after losing weight.
It helps prevent the risk of weight-related health problems.

What are the risks of gastric bypass surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery is considered a relatively safe procedure, but like all surgical procedures, there are some associated risks, including:

Bleeding
Blood clotting problems
Infections
Lung and breathing problems
Irregular heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation
There are also some additional long-term complications that may occur, such as:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Dumping syndrome
Gallstones
Vegetative vomiting
Vitamin deficiencies
Hernias may occur
Low blood sugar

Finally, after discussing this remarkable procedure and its promising results, would you recommend it to others?