Gastric Bypass

Permanent Change to the Size of Your Stomach

Scripps Mercy’s surgeons perform a gastric bypass procedure called the Roux-en-Y divided bypass. Widely accepted as the most effective treatment available and even considered by many as the gold standard to alleviate severe obesity, gastric bypass can be performed as an open or a laparoscopic procedure.

Open surgery requires one long incision, while laparoscopy surgery uses only a few small incisions in the abdominal wall to complete the procedure. Our surgeons advise patients as to which surgery is appropriate for them depending on body shape, weight, medical condition and prior surgeries.

During the Roux-en-Y weight loss surgery the stomach is divided into two sections. One of the two sections is a new, smaller pouch that will act as the new stomach. The new stomach has a capacity of roughly two ounces, as opposed to its former size of about two quarts. This drastic reduction limits your stomach’s ability to hold food, making you feel full after eating only a small amount, requiring you to eat substantially less. This is the basis of the results you will see during the aftercare and beyond.

The weight loss surgery takes approximately two hours and is performed under general anesthesia. In addition, our surgeons are assisted by a well trained surgical staff and supporting specialists.

A positive surgical outcome means achieving a weight that is within 50 pounds of your ideal body weight. For patients who follow the diet and exercise programs, this loss can occur as quickly as 12 months after gastric bypass surgery. Our patients typically experience a success rate of slightly better than the national standard of 80 to 85 percent.