What is gastric bypass?
Gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries make changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight by limiting how much you can eat or by reducing the absorption of nutrients, or both. Gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries are done when diet and exercise haven't worked or when the patient has serious health problems because of the weight.
There are many types of weight-loss surgery, known collectively as bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass is one of the most common types of bariatric surgery. Many surgeons suggest gastric bypass surgery because it has fewer complications than do other weight-loss surgeries.
Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery helps you lose weight and lowers your risk of medical problems associated with obesity. Bariatric surgery contributes to weight loss in two main ways:
- Restriction. Surgery is used to physically limit the amount of food the stomach can hold, which limits the number of calories you can eat.
- Malabsorption. Surgery is used to shorten or bypass part of the small intestine, which reduces the amount of nutrients the body absorbs.
To be mentioned that after surgery, the patient must make permanent healthy changes to his daily diet and get regular exercise to help ensure the long-term success of bariatric surgery.