Gastric bypass surgery is a procedure that can help you to achieve long term weight loss. It can be an effective solution for anyone who has tried many other methods of diet and exercise, yet still has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 (or above).
By reducing the size of your stomach, gastric bypass surgery restricts how much you can eat so that you can lose weight gradually and safely.
This procedure can take different forms, but one of the most popular in the UK is called a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The goal of each procedure is always the same - reducing the size of your stomach, which restricts how much you can eat. A gastric bypass also affects your hunger and appetite levels.
An alternative procedure to the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a mini loop gastric bypass. This is a newer type of bypass which works in much the same way and offers the same benefits. The key difference is that a mini gastric bypass will involve less 'rerouting' of the digestive system.
In a gastric bypass operation, your digestive system is rebuilt to change how your stomach and intestines manage your food intake. A smaller pouch is created in the top part of your stomach, which leaves a larger pouch in the lower part of your stomach that will no longer be used.
In essence, this procedure makes the stomach smaller. The smaller pouch is connected to your small intestine by a small tunnel created by your surgeon – 'bypassing' the rest of the stomach. The food you eat after a gastric bypass also misses out the first section of your small intestine.
The difference between a Roux-en-Y and a mini gastric bypass is in the number of anastomosis (or joins) between the stomach and bowel. A Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has two of these 'joins' – upper and lower. A mini bypass will have just one and misses out more of the small intestine.
FAST FACTS
Expected Weight Loss: 30 - 35% Of Total Body Weight.
Surgery Time: 1 - 2 Hours.
Hospital Stay: 1 Night.
Time Off Work: 7 - 10 Days
What is a Gastric Sleeve?
Gastric sleeve surgery involves removing part of your stomach to reduce its capacity by 90%.
This means that your appetite and the amount of food you can eat will be reduced.
Gastric sleeve surgery may be an effective solution if you want to achieve long-term weight loss and other methods aren't working. This procedure – also called a sleeve gastrectomy – removes part of your stomach and makes it much smaller than before.
The term 'sleeve' comes from the shape of the stomach that's created by the operation. As your stomach will be smaller than it was, you'll feel full sooner and won't be able to eat as much.
It can achieve great results too – as much as 61.5% of excess weight loss within the first year.
Gastric sleeve surgery has two options - a total gastrectomy or a partial gastrectomy. Which procedure you have will determine how much of your stomach is removed. In both cases, however, the procedure removes an area of the stomach that produces an appetite-increasing hormone.
As a result, it can also help significantly reduce your hunger levels, so if you suffer with obesity and still have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or over, it can help you lose weight. But it's worth remembering that it'll be most effective if you make healthier lifestyle choices too.
According to the third 2020 National Bariatric Surgery Registry report, a gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy is the second-most common weight loss surgery in the UK.
FAST FACTS
Expected Weight Loss: 25 - 30% Of Total Body Weight.
Surgery Time: 1 - 2 Hours.
Time Off Work: 1 Week.
Hospital Stay: 1 Night.
