Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Bariatric surgeons have been performing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for many decades. This procedure helps cause weight loss by changing the stomach and small intestine.

The procedure

Surgeons perform Roux-en-Y surgery through small incisions. This helps in a quicker recovery. Here are the basic steps:

1. The surgeon uses a stapling device to divide the stomach. This creates a small pouch that’s about the size of an egg. This pouch will be the new stomach.

2. The surgeon cuts the small intestine and connects the lower part of it to the new stomach pouch. This bypasses the larger, remaining stomach and the first part of the small intestine. As a result, these parts of your digestive tract no longer hold or digest food. 

3. The surgeon connects the part of the small intestine that exits the bypassed stomach to the digestive tract. This lets digestive fluids from the bypassed stomach and small intestine mix with food from the new, small stomach.

How Roux-en-Y surgery helps you lose weight

●You eat less. The new stomach is smaller and holds less food. 

● Your body absorbs fewer calories from food. This is because the first part of the small intestine is bypassed.

● You aren’t as hungry. By changing the digestive tract, the procedure changes hormones in ways that reduce hunger.

The surgery can also have benefits beyond weight loss. For example, it can help treat—or even reverse type 2 diabetes. It also helps ease acid reflux (heartburn).

Life after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

You’ll need to make lifelong dietary changes after surgery. These include:

  • Making healthy food choices.

  • No use of tobacco.

  • Not using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ibuprofen is one example of an NSAID.

  • Taking supplements. This will help ensure you get enough vitamins and minerals.

You may also have side effects. One of them is called “dumping syndrome.” This is a feeling of sickness that can happen after you eat or drink higher carbohydrates or sugar than recommended.

Learn how our team will support you after surgery.

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