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Gastric Bypass Surgery and Weight Loss
By M. A. Fulmar

Gastric bypass surgery is one type of procedure that can be used to cause significant weight loss if you are very obese. The surgery reduces your body's intake of calories. Calorie reduction is accomplished in two ways:

 1. After the surgery, your stomach is smaller. You feel full faster and learn to reduce the amount that you eat at any given time.

2. Part of your stomach and small intestines are literally bypassed (skipped over) so that fewer calories are absorbed. Unfortunately, sometimes nutrients are lost as well.The goal of weight loss surgery is to help patients lose weight by limiting the stomach's ability to store large amounts of food. Stapling and dividing the stomach accomplishes this. The "new stomach," also called the pouch, is only about 5-10 percent the size of the "old stomach" and holds less food.

The pouch is about the size of a golf ball as opposed to a normal stomach, which is about the size of a football. The pouch is designed to be permanent, although it is reversible.

The three mechanisms by which patients lose weight after the gastric bypass surgery are:

1. The pouch is very small and holds only a tiny portion of food.

2. The size of the opening, called the stoma, allows food to empty only slowly from the pouch.

3. A large number of patients have the inability to tolerate large amounts of refined sugar.

When pills and diets don't work, weight loss surgery is often the last resort for people who are morbidly obese.

Laparoscopic (Minimally Invasive) Gastric Bypass

Recently, surgeons have performed several anti-obesity operations including gastric bypass using minimally invasive techniques. This approach uses five or six tiny incisions instead of one large incision to perform the operation. These operations require two skilled, well-trained surgeons, skilled assistants and many new specialized instruments.

During the procedure, a laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen. This provides the surgeons with a magnified view on a TV monitor. The result is better visualization throughout the procedure, allowing for more precise work.

By eliminating the large abdominal incisions, bowel manipulation and extensive dissection, patients are assured a faster recovery. Further advantages of the laparoscopic approach include less pain following the surgery, less scarring, and likely an earlier discharge.

Distal Gastric Bypass

This modification of the standard gastric bypass is available for patients who are "super obese," more than 200 pounds overweight. This operation adds malabsorption to restriction of intake. The stomach stapling component of the distal modification is the same as in the standard procedure; the only difference is the location of the distal connection of the intestine which is reconnected much closer to the colon. Adding malabsorption increases the risk of several nutritional (metabolic) complications.

Author Details:
M. A. Fulmar, copywriter for various websites including, Gastric Bypass, Skin Care and Cosmetic Surgery Info 4U

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