Leading Gastric Bypass Surgeons

(Roux-en-Y bypass) 

What Is Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery (also known as the Roux-en-Y bypass) reduces the size of your stomach. It is the most established weight loss procedure around the world and is carried out under a general anaesthetic.

It involves keyhole surgery and usually takes between two to three hours, depending on your individual circumstances.

How Does Gastric Bypass Surgery Work?

Your surgeon will staple your stomach to create a small pouch (about the size of a thumb). A section of your small intestine is then bypassed, making it shorter. It is reconnected to the pouch so that food bypasses part of your digestive system and is absorbed less easily by the body.

Gastric bypass surgery works by making patients feel fuller sooner so that they can reduce their portion sizes. Food is diverted to the lower parts of the intestines, missing the upper stomach and upper small intestine.

The bypass also affects the release of good hormones into the body, helping to reduce the feeling of hunger.

This can also positively impact other obesity-related conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

There are two techniques for this gastric bypass surgery: the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the single anastomosis gastric bypass (also called the mini gastric bypass). The procedure is undertaken laparoscopically (using small keyhole incisions.) There is a small potential for conversion to open surgery (less than 0.1%).

As with any surgical procedure, there are possible risks and complications, including bruising, pain & swelling, reaction to anaesthetic, excessive bleeding, infection, gallstones, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (clot to the lung), internal small bowel hernia, intolerance to certain foods, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), nutritional deficiencies, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea and death. These are uncommon and we will do everything possible to prevent them from happening.

Occasionally, patients may require an additional corrective procedure after the initial surgery and some patients might fail to lose a significant amount of weight. 10% of patients regain weight within five to ten years as the pouch dilates, hunger returns and malabsorption fades. 40% of patients may require plastic surgery procedures after weight loss has levelled off, to treat loose skin.

Approximately one in six patients may develop symptomatic gallstones after weight loss, which would require a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Please speak to your Tonic surgeon to discuss the risks in more detail and any concerns you may have.

Janet had a gastric bypass with Tonic. Watch her inspiring story below.

Weight Loss Results

The weight loss achieved continues for 12 to 18 months. On average, patients can expect to lose approximately 75–80% of their excess weight (a term used to describe weight above a BMI of 25).

Typically, that’s 30–35% total body weight over a period of 9 to 12 months.

Preparation

The whole team at Tonic will be in touch before and after surgery to advise about appropriate preparations and aftercare.

Patients will often need to go on a liver-shrinking diet (800 calories a day), for around two weeks before surgery. After the operation, patients will be advised to go on a specialist diet to help with the healing process. This involves a liquid diet for two weeks, a puréed diet for one to two weeks and soft, easy-to-chew foods for one to two weeks.

Recovery Time and Aftercare

Patients are usually up and walking within three hours of gastric bypass surgery and are able to drink liquids straight away.

The average post operative hospital stay is one to two nights. Patients can expect to return to work after 7 to 10 days and to full activity within 10 to 14 days of surgery.

As patients will be eating small meals, they will be required to take vitamins and minerals to avoid deficiencies. These include calcium (with vitamin D), iron, multivitamins and three-monthly vitamin B12 injections. Blood tests are recommended every 6 to 12 months to ensure adequate supplementation. PPI (anti-acid) tablets can be discontinued after two years unless you are taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (e.g. ibuprofen). Women of child-bearing age, including infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome, are advised to practise contraception for 12 to 18 months after surgery.

Read more about our Premium 5 Year Aftercare package at the bottom of this page.

Is Gastric Bypass Surgery Right for You?

The gastric bypass procedure is particularly effective in patients with type 2 diabetes (more than a five-year history, requiring multiple medications, insulin, or having diabetic complications) and troublesome gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Those who have had significant abdominal surgery should avoid the procedure.

Availability

Our gastric bypass surgery procedures are available in London, Derby, Manchester, Leeds, Luton, Birmingham, Nottingham and Leicester, with finance options available.

The Roux-en-Y bypass surgery is carried out by leading NHS-approved bariatric surgeons.