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Gastric bypass surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that reduces the size of the stomach and changes how the digestive system handles the food you eat. After a gastric bypass, you won’t need to eat as much food to feel full.
Gastric bypass surgery, also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, may be recommended for people who have obesity and who have not had success losing weight through other methods. Most people who have gastric bypass have previously tried dietary changes, exercise and weight loss medications without success.
Roux-en-Y isn’t a quick fix—it’s simply a step in the weight loss journey. After surgery, eating a healthy diet and being physically active are necessary to lose weight and keep it off.
Gastric bypass surgery and gastric sleeve surgery are types of weight loss surgery but they work in different ways. The size of the stomach is drastically reduced during both procedures, helping you feel full after eating smaller portions.
During gastric sleeve surgery, a surgeon removes up to 80% of the stomach and creates a small, banana-shaped pouch from what’s left. The stomach connects to the small intestine, just as it did before surgery, but it holds less food, so you feel full after eating less.
During gastric bypass surgery, a surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch, which can hold only about 1-2 ounces of food, and connects it directly to the small intestine. Food bypasses most of the stomach and part of the small intestine. As a result, your body absorbs fewer calories and nutrients, which leads to weight loss.
Gastric bypass is a more complex procedure than gastric sleeve, and it often requires a slightly longer recovery period. Both procedures can lead to long-lasting weight loss when paired with healthy lifestyle habits after surgery.
Many factors go into whether you are a good candidate for gastric bypass surgery, and your doctor or a bariatric surgeon can help determine whether it or another procedure will work for you.
In general, gastric bypass surgery can help many people who have obesity and obesity-related medical conditions lose weight. Gastric bypass surgery requirements typically focus on your body mass index (BMI), an estimate of body fat based on your height compared with your weight, and whether you have obesity-related health conditions.
Gastric bypass is one of the most common types of weight loss surgery. If you’re planning to have the procedure, it’s important to have a good understanding of what to expect before, during and after surgery.
Weight loss surgeries require committing to healthy lifestyle changes. Before your gastric bypass, you’ll participate in classes to learn about healthy habits you’ll need to adopt and the diet you’ll need to follow before and after surgery.
You’ll also receive educational materials and counseling about gastric bypass and the lifestyle changes needed to achieve and sustain weight loss. Thoughtfully reviewing those materials and planning ahead can help you find success after surgery.
During the days and weeks before surgery, you’ll have presurgical testing to make sure you’re healthy enough for surgery. You’ll also receive instructions to help you prepare for the surgery itself, including guidelines about when to stop eating and drinking and whether to stop taking your medications before the procedure.
Your surgeon will divide your stomach into a small portion and a large portion. The small portion, roughly the size of an egg, will be made into a pouch.
Next, the surgeon divides the small intestine. They attach one part of the small intestine to the stomach pouch and the other part of the small intestine to the remaining larger part of your stomach, creating a “Y” shape.
After surgery, food moves from the small stomach pouch directly into the small intestine—the right side of the Y. Digestive juices from the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder move into the left side of the Y and down into the small intestine, where they mix with food as part of the digestive process.
In most cases, surgeons can perform gastric bypass as a minimally invasive procedure. The procedure usually takes between two and four hours.
Immediately after a gastric bypass, you’ll be carefully monitored as the anesthesia wears off. Your care team will also watch for signs of complications, such as leaks..
Although certain people can be discharged the same day, others may need to remain in the hospital overnight based on their recovery needs. Before you leave, you’ll receive instructions for managngmanaging pain, monitoring for leaks, avoiding infection and when to contact your surgeon. Your care team will also schedule follow-up appointments with your surgeon and other providers as you continue your recovery.
While gastric bypass is typically a safe and effective procedure, any surgery can cause complications. There are two types of risks associated with gastric bypass: post-surgery complications and long-term complications.
In the hours and days after surgery, you might experience infection, reactions to anesthesia, excessive bleeding, hernia, small bowel obstruction, leaks in the digestive system, blood clots or respiratory problems.
Because gastric bypass modifies the digestive system, it can also cause long-term complications, including:
Recovery time after a gastric bypass varies from person to person. Most people go home the same day or after an overnight stay and need several weeks to recover. Your surgeon will let you know when it’s safe for you to resume specific activities, including work.
You’ll need to carefully follow specific dietary guidelines after gastric bypass to avoid complications and digestive issues. At first, you’ll be on a liquid diet, but you’ll gradually move toward eating solid foods.
Because the surgery significantly reduces the size of the stomach, you’ll need to focus on getting the nutrients needed to fuel your body. This includes drinking at least 64 ounces of fluid each day and eating protein-rich foods.
How you eat and drink will also be important. Avoid drinking fluids during meals and eat and drink slowly to help your digestive system work efficiently.
It can be difficult to get enough of certain nutrients on a gastric bypass surgery diet, so your care team will recommend taking vitamin supplements.
