The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is considered the gold standard of weight-loss surgery available today. This procedure uses special staples to create a small stomach pouch — about the size of an egg — to bypass some of the small intestine, restricting food intake and limiting absorption of calories and nutrients.
Also, gastric bypass changes the hormones secreted by the gastrointestinal tract that can decrease hunger. These hormones are believed to have a specific effect on type 2 diabetes — so many patients who undergo gastric bypass see their type 2 diabetes resolve.
You will typically lose 60-70 percent of your excess weight during the first year after gastric bypass surgery.
If I undergo a gastric bypass, what happens to the other side of my stomach?
That part of the stomach, called the “gastric remnant,” will no longer see the flow of food but will still function as part of the digestive process. The juices secreted by the gastric remnant will act on the food, but just farther downstream.
Is the gastric bypass reversible?
Yes. Reversal is not a common procedure, but one that our surgeons have performed several times in special cases.
Do the staples stay in? Will I set off metal detectors? Can I have an MRI?
The staples used in a gastric bypass are very small and made of titanium, so they do not generally cause metal detectors or MRIs to react.
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