Bariatric Surgery Program

Programs and Services

Roux Y Gastric Bypass

Surgeons at the Froedtert & The Medical College Bariatric Surgery Program are highly experienced in performing the laparoscopic Roux en Y gastric bypass, a procedure that restricts the volume of food eaten and reduces feeling of hunger. Considered the gold standard of weight loss surgery, the procedure has been shown to offer the best combination of weight loss with the fewest nutritional risks. In certain circumstances, your surgeon may determine that the open approach is safer. Your surgeon will discuss this with you.

With the Roux Y Gastric Bypass, there is very little interference with normal absorption of food — the operation works by reducing food intake and the feeling of hunger. The result is a very early sense of fullness, followed by a very profound sense of satisfaction. Patients continue to enjoy eating — but they enjoy eating a lot less.

During the procedure, the stomach is divided and separated with a special stapler in order to create a small stomach pouch. The new stomach is roughly one half ounce in size. The small intestine is then cut about 2 feet below the stomach and reconnected to the new stomach pouch. A small opening between the stomach and the intestine — about the size of a dime — is made to allow food to empty slowly from the pouch. The lower part of the stomach is bypassed, but digestive juices, bile and stomach acids flow normally, eventually mixing with and digesting food.

Patients who undergo the surgery must adopt strict eating habits for personal health and comfort. By carefully adhering to required eating habits and nutritional intake, and by engaging in a prescribed exercise program, patients are expected to lose 60 to 80 percent of their excess body weight over the first 18 to 24 months following Roux Y Gastric Bypass. Additionally, the surgery has been shown to vastly improve obesity-related health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

Date: Nov. 28, 2011

Online Editor(s): Richard Petre