What is a gastric bypass?
A gastric bypass is a bariatric surgery that reduces the size of your stomach, which decreases the amount of food you can eat at any given time. Gastric bypass, clinically called the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, is the gold standard of weight-loss surgery.
The team at the Surgical Consultants of Northern Virginia offers minimally invasive robotic gastric bypass surgery. Robotic surgery increases the precision of your procedure and provides benefits to you, such as reduced recovery times, less pain, and a lower risk of infection or scarring.
Many patients lose around 70% of their excess weight within three years. Additionally, if you have an obesity-related disease like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnea, your symptoms should reduce, and your health should improve.
Am I a good candidate for a gastric bypass?
The team at the Surgical Consultants of Northern Virginia considers each patient individually to determine if a bariatric surgery like gastric bypass is the best option. You might be eligible for a gastric bypass if you:
- Are more than 100 pounds overweight
- Have a BMI of 40 or higher
- Have obesity-related health problems
- Have tried to lose weight in the past without success
For a gastric bypass to be successful, you also need to commit to significant lifestyle changes. Your stomach will be significantly smaller, and you’ll need to adjust your diet to accommodate the reduced space. The most successful patients have a support network to help them recover and implement their new lifestyle.
What happens during a gastric bypass?
Your surgeon provides general anesthesia while you have a gastric bypass. Then, using minimally invasive robotic surgical techniques, they make small incisions in your abdomen.
Your surgeon uses robotic tools to make a small stomach pouch that is big enough to hold around six teaspoons of food. This small pouch is connected to your small intestine, bypassing the rest of your stomach and your duodenum — the tube that connects your stomach to your small intestine.
Most patients spend one night in the hospital following their surgery. Before your surgeon releases you, they review your aftercare instructions, including your post-op bariatric diet. They also provide vitamin and nutritional supplement recommendations to ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and functional.
Call the Surgical Consultants of Northern Virginia or make an appointment online today to learn more about gastric bypass and if it’s right for you.
