Gastric Bypass Surgery

Posted: April 1, 2005

In Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, a small stomach pouch is created, and that pouch is then connected to a shorter length of the small intestine. The normal stomach is the size of a melon or a football, and gastric bypass reduces it to the size of an egg. This procedure helps a person lose weight.

Though Roux-en-y gastric bypass has been performed for many years, this surgery now can be done using laparoscopy, also called minimally invasive surgery.

Having gastric bypass surgery using laparoscopy means that the patient has a shorter recovery time and can return to normal activities sooner. Laparoscopy also significantly reduces wound complications including infections, hernias, and wound reopenings. Other advantages include less pain after the surgery, a shorter hospital stay, and fewer stitches.

Not all patients are able to have the laparoscopic (minimally invasive) procedure. The surgeon will discuss the surgery with the patient to determine if open (also called traditional) gastric bypass surgery is a better option.

The Bariatric Center at Columbia St. Mary’s offers comprehensive care before, during, and after gastric bypass surgery. Team members include a surgeon who is fellowship-trained in bariatric surgery and laparoscopic surgery and a physician member of the Milwaukee Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Other team members provide a variety of support and care services including specialists in nutrition, psychiatry, gastroenterology, sleep medicine, rehabilitation, and endocrinology.

For more information about the Bariatric Center at Columbia St. Mary’s, call
414-962-BARI (2274) or visit the Center for Bariatric Surgery Web site at www.milwaukeebariatricsurgery.com

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