outGastric Bypass is performed under general anesthesia. This surgery is performed in two steps and usually takes between 2 to 4 hours.
- The first step is to reduce the size of the stomach, making it smaller. The Surgeon uses staples to divide the stomach into two sections. The top portion of the stomach which is referred to as the (pouch) is where the food that is eaten will go It is created to hold approximately 1oz of food. This makes a person feel full quickly, eat less, and lose weight.
- Step two involves the Surgeon connecting a small part of the intestine (jejunum) to a hole in the pouch. Now the food ingested will go from the pouch into the new opening and enter the small intestine. The purpose of re-routing the food from the pouch to the small intestine is to significantly reduce the amount of calories absorbed..
Gastric Bypass is performed two different ways:
One way involves the Surgeon making a large incision into the belly allowing the Surgeon access to the stomach, small intestine, and other organs.
The second way Gastric Bypass can be performed is when the Surgeon makes 4 to 6 small cuts into the belly and inserts a laparoscope (a tiny camera} and other surgical instruments needed through the small cuts to perform the surgery. The camera on the laparoscope is connected to a video monitor that the Surgeon uses to view the inside of the belly while performing the surgery.
Gastric Bypass performed using laparoscopy is a less invasive surgery. So, it allows for shorter hospital stays, smaller scars, and lowers the risk of infection or hernia, and patients report experiencing less pain.
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