One of the most frequently performed procedures for morbid obesity in the U.S. is the gastric bypass.²¹ Gastric Bypass involves a procedure to restrict food intake, which decreases the amount of calories the body absorbs. It does this by creating a smaller stomach pouch and attaching a section of the small intestine directly to it. This causes the food to bypass a large portion of the stomach and most of the small intestine.

Studies have shown that people who underwent gastric bypass surgery typically lost 59.5%of their excess weight.⁷⁹ Many health problems such as back pain, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, clinical indications of type 2 diabetes and depression can improve or be resolved following surgery.

A surgeon can perform a gastric bypass using two different approaches. The first is the traditional “open” procedure where a large incision is required to view and perform the surgery. The second is a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach, using small incisions. This usually means a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery, with smaller scars and less pain than an open procedure. Most surgeons prefer the laparoscopic approach.

For in-depth information on the gastric bypass procedure, visit: http://www.realize.com/dtcf/pages/gastric-bypass-surgery-information.htm

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The bariatric surgeon who performs your weight loss surgery will be a part of your support team for years to come, so it’s important to feel at ease with him or her, along with the entire staff in the office. Most importantly, you need to get all the information you can and make sure any questions you have about the procedure itself are answered completely.

Here are some questions you can use to get the conversation started:

• Are you board certified?
• Do you perform the majority of your procedures through open surgery or using a laparoscopic technique?
• What types of bariatric surgery procedures do you perform?
• How many of each bariatric procedure have you performed?
• Are you associated with/member of a Bariatric Center of Excellence?

• Which bariatric procedure is best for me? Why? What are the risks involved?
• If I decide to have bariatric surgery, what will you expect of me?
• How long will I be in surgery?
• How long will I be in the hospital?

Don’t like the answers you get? Consider getting a second opinion. It’s important that you feel comfortable with the treatment and the surgeon you’ve selected.

To locate a surgeon in your area who offers the gastric bypass procedure, try our Find a Physician tool.