Gastric surgery, better known as gastric bypass surgery, is the most common form of weight loss surgery in the United States. The surgery is deemed effective if at least half of the patient's extra weight is lost and kept off for up to five years, according to Columbia University Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery. Gastric bypass surgery involves a surgeon stapling off a large section of the patient’s stomach, leaving a small pouch. The Columbia University Center states that the small pouch can only hold a few ounces of food at a time, making patients feel fuller faster.
Open Gastric Bypass
There are two ways gastric bypass surgery can be performed--open or laparoscopic. In open gastric bypass surgery, a large incision is made down the patient’s stomach. Next, the stomach is divided so a small pouch is formed via sealing off the majority of the stomach with staples. A portion of the small intestine is then divided and sewn to the stomach pouch, limiting the body’s ability to absorb calories, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
Laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive procedure, involves several small incisions in the patient’s stomach. Prior to surgery the patient is given general anesthesia so they’re asleep during the surgery and feel no pain. A tiny camera, called a laparoscope, is then inserted into one of the incisions through a narrow tube. The laparoscope allows the surgeon to view images on a video monitor in the operating room. The surgeon then places long, narrow surgical instruments through the remaining incisions. The surgeon carries out the same procedures as open gastric bypass by watching the stomach via the laparoscope on the video monitor.
Mechanism
The Cleveland Clinic states that in gastric bypass surgery greater than 95 percent of the stomach is bypassed and a small portion, know as the pouch, remains functional. The functioning pouch holds only a few ounces of food at a time, limiting patients’ caloric intake. According to Columbia University Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery, patients’ caloric intake is limited to approximately 1,000 calories or fewer a day. Also, since the majority of the stomach and some of the intestines are bypassed, the intestinal absorption of food is reduced and some nutrients and calories will not be absorbed.
Advantages
After either open or laparoscopic gastric bypass, weight loss can average up to 80 percent of excess weight one year after surgery, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Additionally, the considerable weight loss can make treating medical problems, such as diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease, easier or may eliminate the problem altogether, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Individuals who undergo laparoscopic surgery rather than open surgery have less pain and scarring, a reduced risk of wound infection, and recover more quickly post-surgery.
Risks and Complications
According to Columbia University Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery, individuals lose weight from bypassing a portion of the stomach and small bowel, which decreases the intestinal absorption of certain nutrients. Therefore, long-term deficiencies of vitamin B12, folate and iron may result. Another complication, known as “dumping syndrome,” may result when patients consume too much sugar, causing abdominal cramping and diarrhea.
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