Gastric bypass is a bariatric procedure that induces significant weight loss in obese patients. Gastric bypass surgery is both restrictive and malabsorptive, meaning there will be a decrease in the patient’s stomach capacity and nutrient absorption.
If you think gastric bypass may be the right bariatric surgery for you, then Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery can help. Our licensed, award-winning bariatric surgeon provides gastric sleeve surgery at our surgery center, about an hour south of Huntsville, Alabama.
For more information about Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery and our weight loss surgery options, call (205) 833-6907.
Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y) Surgery
Bariatric surgeons can perform gastric sleeve surgery openly or laparoscopically. At Birmingham, Minimally Invasive Surgery, our surgeon, Dr. Long, opt for laparoscopic techniques to lessen the patient’s pain and recovery time.
At the start of the procedure, our team will administer general anesthesia. Dr. Long will then create four to six abdominal incisions. He will cut and staple the patient’s stomach using specialty tools and, through these incisions, create a small pouch. Dr. Long will attach this new stomach pouch to the lower portion of the small intestine, which he has cut away from the intestine’s first and second segments. The purpose of these cuts is for food to bypass the lower stomach, the first segment of the small intestine known as the duodenum, and the jejunum (the first portion of the small intestine’s second segment). Once he has stapled the intestine to the stomach, Dr. Long will check the connection to ensure no leaks.
Gastric bypass surgery is an inpatient procedure that can be completed in 60 to 120 minutes. We require our patients to stay in the hospital for a few nights of recovery before returning home to Huntsville. We may need patients with certain conditions to follow a specialized gastric bypass diet plan before and after the procedure.
What are the advantages of gastric bypass?
- Surgeons have been performing gastric bypass surgery since 1967, making it the bariatric surgery with the longest track record in the United States.
- Gastric bypass surgery is a highly effective way for patients to obtain and maintain significant excess weight loss.
- Gastric bypass is the preferred bariatric surgery for patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea.
- Patients can expect fast results, with 66% of the weight loss occurring within eight months.
- Gastric bypass tends to be more effective than gastric sleeve and gastric band.
- Studies have shown that gastric bypass patients have lost and kept off 70% of their excess weight ten years post-surgery.
What are the disadvantages of a gastric bypass?
- Patients will have a longer recovery time after gastric bypass surgery.
- Gastric bypass surgery is not considered reversible but can be if medically necessary.
- The stomach and intestine connection can begin to leak.
- Patients must take nutritional and mineral supplements for life.
- Some patients will experience minor weight regain, about 10-20%, around two to five years after surgery.
Contact a Gastric Bypass Surgeon Near Huntsville, AL
Do you want to undergo gastric bypass surgery in Huntsville, Alabama? Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery is a nearby surgical facility that offers gastric bypass.
Contact Birmingham Minimally Invasive Surgery at (205) 833-6907 or via our online form to discuss your weight loss surgery options. We would happily schedule a one-on-one consultation with our renowned bariatric surgeon, Dr. Long.
