Gastric Bypass Surgery – Dr. Pradeep Kumar Pallati

1. What is a Gastric Bypass (GBP) Surgery?

This is a surgery where the stomach is divided into two pieces and a small stomach pouch which gets the food is bypassed into a small wall directly. The food that is consumed goes to a small pouch thereby the individuals are able to eat in small amounts. It also bypasses a major portion of the bowel so that it doesn’t get digested well which leads to losing more weight with this surgery compared to Sleeve Gastrectomy.

2. Recommendations for patients.

This is usually recommended for patients, who are more obese than the typical Sleeve gastrotomy patient. This surgery takes longer than sleeve gastrectomy and also an individual can expect more weight loss when compared to the sleeve gastrectomy itself.

3. Are there any age restrictions to undergo a GBP?

Gastric Bypass has no age restriction, except that it is not performed for less than 16 years of age and also more than 70 years of age.

4. Restrictions on Food

Immediately after your surgery, you will be on a liquid diet or soft diet. Yet after 6 weeks you should be able to eat almost all varieties of foods. It is advised to significantly decrease the amounts of routine diet and concentrate more on protein rich foods and decreasing high sugary foods after gastric bypass. As it can cause dumping syndrome, it can be good and bad because if you are going to eat chocolate or an ice cream you can get abdomen cramps, that will make you not eat them again.

5. Side effects of Gastric Bypass Surgeries

The Gastric bypass is slightly more complicated compared to  Sleeve gastrectomy. Dumping syndrome is  one of the common side effects if you eat high sugary foods which can cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea after the surgery. You may also get low blood sugar that might require taking additional sugar. It is beneficial for individuals who have diabetes as this is a very good source where your diabetes will be almost cured or at least put in remission so you won’t need any medication for diabetes for a while.

6. Special precautions to be taken after the surgery

After surgery, for the first six weeks you need to be very cautious about the food that you eat. Later there  are no special precautions. We do it all and laparoscopic which means small key holes.  There is not a lot of abdominal pain or any problems with the abdomen itself so you should be able to get back to work quickly and you should be able to exercise as well. I usually recommend patients  to start doing strength exercise for at least one month after the surgery to get back to a good Healthy lifestyle .

7. What is the difference between Sleeve Gastrectomy & Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Sleeve Gastrectomy is the procedure in which only the removal of 3/4th of the stomach, so what food you eat will go directly into your stomach wall and then goes to the normal channels. But in the gastric bypass the food is bypassed so that a major portion of the small ball that is supposed to absorb the nutrients is not absorbing and in effect you will end up losing more weight with gastric bypass compared to sleeve gastrectomy. Because of the restriction of bowel also, diabetes is better controlled with the gastric bypass compared to sleeve gastrectomy.

8.  How quick is the recovery after the surgery?

The recovery with the gastric bypass is slightly longer compared to sleeve gastrectomy; you are able to go home after 2 days after the surgery itself. You should be able to perform household tasks after getting discharged. Within 1-2 weeks you should be able to come to the clinic walking itself. You won’t be restricted. By 4 week to 6 weeks , you should be able to do all kinds of exercises like a normal person can do.