Gastric Bypass (Stomach Bypass) Surgery

Gastric Bypass (Stomach Bypass) surgeries are one of the most applied surgeries in the surgical treatment of obesity. These are methods that count as both restrictive and absorption-reducing interventions.

The most applied types of Gastric Bypass surgery are Mini Gastric Bypass and Roux en Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB).

What is the Surgical Procedure Applied in Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Gastric Bypass surgery; It is a system based on reducing the amount of food that the patient can take by reducing the stomach volume and shortening the path that the food travels from the small intestine, that is, the absorption path. In other words, it is both a restrictive and absorption-blocking surgery.

Roux en Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB)

With this method, the stomach volume is reduced to approximately 15-30 cc, thereby reducing food intake. Since most of the stomach, duodenum (12 finger intestine) and the beginning part of the small intestine (jejunum) are bypassed, the absorption of edible foods (especially high-calorie sugary foods) is prevented.

In a normal digestive tract, when the foods taken from the mouth reach the stomach following the esophagus, they are pushed towards the stomach exit with (peristaltic) movements and the foods that turn into a creamy consistency pass from there to the 12 finger intestines. From the 12 finger intestines, it is sent to the large intestine with a bowel movement.

In the Roux en Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) surgery technique; A new gastric sac with a volume of 15-30 cc is created at the stomach entrance. This new pouch is a small stomach about 5-10% of the old stomach. The small intestine is cut from a certain cm in order to ensure the passage of the food coming into this newly formed stomach pouch to the intestines. The end, which continues downward, is pulled up and connected to the new stomach pouch. The old stomach remains passive and never encounters food. The food coming into the new stomach pouch passes to the small intestine, which is directly connected. On the other hand, the process is completed by making the other cut-end connection to the small intestine segment, which is approximately 100-150 cm from this connection.

Following food intake, food comes from the esophagus to the small stomach and then passes directly to the small intestine (they do not pass through the large stomach, duodenum and first part of the jejunum).

Thus, since all of the foods do not visit these regions of the digestive system, which are responsible for absorption, they pass directly to the small intestine without being absorbed.

On the other hand, the secretions (stomach fluid, liver bile, pancreatic fluid and duodenal enzymes) coming from the deactivated areas pass to the common path by mixing with the foods from the place where the connection with the small intestine is made.