Gastric bypass surgery

Gastric bypass surgery, or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, is a procedure almost exclusively used in surgical weight-loss applications to correct morbid obesity.

Risks

The operation has a mortality rate of approximately 2% overall: 1% suffer immediate complications and death; another 1% will commonly have post-operative complications that lead to death within one month of surgery. This can be mitigated by compliance with the surgeon's post-operative plan and using a doctor who has performed more than 200 procedures.

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A full 25% of people undergoing this operation will have some form of post-operative complication (hernia, gall stones) either requiring a further procedure or change in habits. In some instances, the production of Intrinsic Factor in the stomach wall to aid in vitamin B12 absorption is decreased. This may call for either B12 injections or sub-lingual tablets for life to aid in the breakdown of food for energy.

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