Gastic bypass in Herrin and Mount Vernon is a bariatric procedure that involves stapling off one part of the stomach to reduce its size. The surgeon divides the stomach into two parts, leaving only one small pouch that serves as your new stomach. The small bowel is also divided and connected to the stomach, thus bypassing most of the small intestine. We use advanced laparoscopic and robot-assisted techniques to perform a gastric bypass.
What is Gastric Bypass?
The gastric bypass procedure effectively reduces the size of the stomach and small intestine, which limits the volume of food you eat and the calories absorbed from each meal. This procedure prevents overeating, makes you feel full faster, and reduces the calories absorbed from your meals. Our minimally invasive laparoscopic and robot-assisted techniques minimize the risk of complications and optimize precision.
Why is Gastric Bypass Done?
The gastric bypass procedure is meant for clinically obese patients with a BMI of 40 or more or a BMI of 35 and more with other obesity-related illnesses. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and kidney diseases. Gastic bypass in Herrin and Mount Vernon can help with weight loss, lead to a remission of type 2 diabetes, and improve your health.
Benefits of Gastric Bypass:
- Leads to more rapid weight loss than other bariatric procedures, such as sleeve gastrectomy and lap band procedures.
- Has been performed for decades, so it’s backed by extensive clinical evidence.
- Reduces the size of your stomach, so you feel full faster and eat less food.
- Bypasses most of the small intestine, so you absorb fewer calories and nutrients.
- Facilitates rapid and sustainable weight loss.
- May lead to the remission of type 2 diabetes within a few days.
Drawbacks of Gastric Bypass:
- More complex than other weight-loss procedures, such as a gastric sleeve.
- Longer recovery period than other less invasive bariatric procedures.
- Higher rate of complications because of the intestinal bypass aspect of the procedure.
- Higher risk of malnutrition because of lower nutrition absorption by the intestines.
- You may have to take oral supplements of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, calcium, and iron, to prevent complications associated with mineral deficiency.
Your Gastric Bypass Procedure
Dr. Ahuja performs a laparoscopic or robot-assisted gastic bypass in Herrin and Mount Vernon procedure to help you achieve and maintain the ideal weight. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia, so you are asleep throughout the process and don’t feel any pain. The surgeon makes a few small incisions in your abdomen, through which he inserts a laparoscope (a small tube with a lens attached at the end) and small surgical tools.
Using a laparoscopic stapler, the surgeon staples off a major part of the stomach, leaving only a small pouch that serves as your new stomach. The stapler is then used to divide the upper part of the small intestine and connect one end of the intestine to the stomach pouch, which reduces the path that food takes within the intestine. Dr. Ahuja may use a dye study to ensure there aren’t any leaks.
Recovery After Gastric Bypass Surgery
The recovery process after gastic bypass in Herrin and Mount Vernon proceeds in several stages. You will need to stay home for up to two weeks after your procedure — this is the most challenging period. You can gradually resume your daily activities within a few days, but strenuous workouts and physical activities must be avoided for four to six weeks. You must only eat pureed food for the first month after surgery.
Schedule an Appointment
Ahuja Bariatric & Beyond is a state-of-the-art multi-specialty medical center specializing in laparoscopic and robot-assisted bariatric surgeries. Our medical center is led by Dr. Ahuja, one of the leading weight-loss surgeons in Illinois — he has over 4000 successful bariatric procedures and thousands of other gastrointestinal procedures under his belt. Please schedule an appointment with Dr. Ahuja at our medical center in Mount Vernon.
