Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
How is it done? 
The operation involves the creation of a very small pouch from the top 5% of the stomach. The pouch is then joined to the small intestine thus bypassing the remaining 95% of the stomach and about a metre of the small intestine. The operation reduces the amount of food that can be eaten at a single sitting and reduces hunger through a powerful effect on the gut hormones. Patients tend to lose about 75%-85% of their excess weight loss.
Advantages:
- Effective and durable weight loss can be achieved in most patients.
- More powerful effect on insulin resistance than other operations with an 80% cure of type II diabetes. This is so significant that the operation is now advocated to cure diabetes in normal weight diabetic patients.
- Normal food can still be eaten just in small volumes.
Disadvantages
- Multivitamins supplements together with iron and calcium tablets must be eaten daily. Vitamin B12 injections are needed every 3-6 months.
- Risk of leaks and bleeding from the staple lines and the joints
- Late complications can occur due to ulcers, bowel twists and blockages (2-4% ).
- Not easily reversible
- Technically more demanding and may not be possible to be done laparoscopically in patients who had previous abdominal surgery.