What is gastric bypass surgery and how does it work?
The gastric bypass has been seen as the gold standard of bariatric surgery for more than 30 years. The surgery is very safe in the current era: it’s no more risky than any minor out-patient surgery like gallbladder surgery.
The gastric bypass isn’t a magical cure, and after surgery you’ll need to commit to a healthy diet and exercise regime in order to maximize and maintain your weight loss. But combined with diet and exercise, gastric bypass surgery can help you lose 100-200 pounds or even more*. Imagine how that would feel.
At-a-glance: Gastric Bypass Surgery
| Procedure time | 60 - 90 mins |
| Hospital Stay | 1-2 days |
| Recovery time | 2-4 weeks (light activity) |
| Avg. weight loss | 60-80% of excess weight |
| Surgical approach | Minimally invasive (4-5 small incisions) |
| Typical follow-up | 1 week, 1 month, 3 months |
How gastric bypass works
The gastric bypass is a combination procedure using both restrictive and malabsorptive elements.
Restrictive
A bypass works to limit how much food you can consume before feeling full. This is accomplished by taking your current 20-30 ounce stomach and stapling off a smaller one ounce thumb-sized stomach pouch. By creating this small stomach pouch, your body will feel full after eating a smaller portion of food. Right after surgery you will only require a small, one ounce (1/4 cup) meal to fill your stomach, which then sends signals to your brain indicating that you are full. Consistently eating very small amounts of food reduces calorie intake and helps you to lose weight*.
Malabsorptive
“Bypass” also means that we are bypassing some of your stomach and small intestine. One part of your intestine will still deliver digestive juices to help break down your food. The other segment of intestine connected to your pouch will transport food but will not initially have the digestive enzymes needed to break it down. Downstream the two channels will be connected, which allows for mixture of food and digestive juices to allow for digestion over the last 2/3rd of your small intestines. This means that fewer calories will be absorbed, resulting in more weight loss and an additional barrier to future weight regain*.
FAQS
How much weight will I lose with gastric bypass surgery?
The gastric bypass is a very powerful tool to help you reach your weight loss goals, but it is not a magical cure. Most patients lose 65-90% of their unhealthy body weight over about a year*. There are also other positive benefits of gastric bypass as it does an excellent job of resolving obesity-related health problems for many patients such as: diabetes, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and acid reflux*.
When patients do not commit to utilizing all of the other tools that we recommend (such as eating a healthy diet and committing to regular exercise), weight loss may be slower and weight regain is also a possibility.
In addition to less calorie absorption, after surgery there is also less nutrient absorption. The area of the small intestine that is bypassed is where a majority of patients’ calcium, folic acid, iron, and B vitamins are absorbed from their diet. To prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies patients are placed on a very specific vitamin regimen after surgery that will need to be maintained for life to avoid serious health consequences*. This is why follow-up visits, labs and nutritional guidance are so vital after surgery!
How long does it take to recover from gastric bypass surgery?
Surgery takes roughly one and a half hours. This will vary based on your past surgical history and anatomy. The typical hospital stay is one night. This procedure is almost always done minimally invasively, meaning that it’s performed through 5 very small incisions in the abdomen. Minimally invasive surgery generally results in less hospital time, faster recovery, less pain, and smaller scars than open surgical procedures.
How much pain will I have after surgery?
All surgical procedures can be associated with pain. However, at the BMCC we utilize a variety of strategies to minimize pain and in some cases take it away completely. One technique that we have helped pioneer for bariatric patients is the use of a TAP block. The TAP block uses a long-acting anesthetic placed into the specific nerve layer in the abdominal wall that dramatically reduces post-operative pain and the need for pain medication without a need for pumps or tubes*. It’s so effective that some patients never need any additional pain medication.
Is gastric bypass surgery safe?
Risks and complications are a reasonable concern for any abdominal surgery. Bariatric surgery has come a long way, and outdated procedures such as LAP-BAND surgery had higher long-term risk with less weight loss success than modern procedures (which is why we do not offer LAP-BAND surgery). Today the risks of bariatric surgery are very low if you receive surgery through a certified ASMBS comprehensive MSAQIP center of excellence such as Parker Adventist Hospital (where our double-board-certified bariatric surgeon performs surgeries).
At the BMCC, your safety is our main goal which is why we consistently work to keep weight loss surgery risks far below the national average. But, there are potential risks to consider. In terms of the gastric bypass surgery, possible medical problems are:
- Slightly higher ulcer risk for patients who use ulcer-inducing substances
- Nutrient deficiencies when vitamins are not consistently taken as directed
- Dumping Syndrome when sugar-containing foods are consumed
Our double-board-certified bariatric surgeon and team will work with you to minimize the chance of complications and to relieve any complications that may occur.
While it is important to be aware of potential risks, most of these things don’t ever occur for patients who diligently follow our very careful protocols. Additionally, the medical risks that accompany obesity are a far greater danger to your long-term health and wellbeing.
What does follow-up post-procedure look like?
After surgery it is vital to follow up with our office. You will be asked to return for a post-operative visit with the surgeon two weeks after surgery, and then a visit with the team at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, one year, and annually after that. Patients who follow up regularly often do the best at losing weight and keeping it off.
How much does a gastric bypass cost?
$18,650
What kind of bariatric surgery should I consider?
You may be a good gastric bypass surgery candidate if you:
- Are interested in losing 65-90% of your excess body weight*
- Have type II diabetes or heart burn and want to resolve these conditions*
- Can be very consistent taking vitamins, minerals and protein daily for the rest of your life
You may not be an ideal bypass candidate if you:
- Have current vitamin or mineral deficiencies (including anemia)
- Suffer from Crohn’s disease, a medical condition requiring prednisone or anti-inflammatory medications, or have had many previous abdominal operations
Testimonials What our patients say
Kari Romriell
I love to work out and go for walks and ride bikes. I went on a 10 mile backpacking trip and felt great.
Georgette Camacho
The best decision I have ever made was to have this surgery. Not only did I improve my health, I have my life back again with my family.
Keri and Chris Sexton
We cannot imagine another Doctor or Practice with whom this process could have been so wonderfully orchestrated…. Dr. Long and his staff are the kindest, most loving, and supportive group of individuals we have ever could have met. Each person has contributed to our success, each and every one.
Rochelle Goforth
I couldn’t imagine a better experience anywhere else and hope that other people get to experience the amazing and life changing journey with the staff at BMCC. I feel like we are all one big family and will stay that way for a very long time. It’s inspiring to be able to work with a doctor that is passionate about what he does and actually treats you as a person whose life and quality of life matters and not just a patient on his schedule.
Is bariatric surgery right for you?
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Insurances we accept
If you have health care insurance and would like your insurance to pay for your procedure, we do accept most major insurance providers.
If you schedule an appointment with our Denver office, we are happy to discuss all of your payment options for weight loss surgery.
Join an upcoming EDU webinar
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Meet your Bariatric Physician Dr. Joshua Long
MD, MBA, FACS, FASMBS
A nationally renowned and double-board-certified Denver bariatric surgeon, Dr. Long uses a partnership care model with each patient to tailor care to their individual needs. Patients routinely thank Dr. Long for his warm, compassionate bedside manner. He’s considered to be at the top of his field, having performed well over 2,000 surgeries in all places consistently throughout the site.