Gastric bypass, also known as Roux-en-Y bypass or Fobi-Capella surgery, is a type of bariatric surgery that can lead to loss of up to 70% of the initial weight and consists of reducing the stomach and altering the intestine, causing the person to eat less, eventually losing weight.
As it is a type of surgery that causes a major change in the digestive system, bypass is only indicated for people with a BMI greater than 40 kg / m² or with a BMI greater than 35 kg / m², however, who have already suffered some health problem derived of excess weight and, generally, it is only performed when other techniques, such as gastric band placement or gastric balloon, did not have the desired results.
Know the main types of bariatric surgery and when to use it.
What is the price of surgery
The value of gastric bypass surgery depends on the clinic where it is performed and the necessary follow-up before and after the surgery, ranging between 15, 000 and 45, 000 reais, this already included all professionals involved in the pre, intra and postoperative, in addition to all necessary medicines.
In some cases, the bypass can be done at SUS free of charge, especially when there is a risk of developing serious health problems due to being overweight, requiring a rigorous evaluation by the gastroenterologist.
How gastric bypass is done
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a complex surgery that is performed under general anesthesia and takes an average of 2 hours, being recommended to stay between 3 to 5 days. To do the bypass, the doctor needs to do several steps:
- Cut the stomach and intestine: a cut is made in the stomach next to the esophagus that divides it into two parts, a very small portion, in the form of a pouch, and a large portion, which corresponds to the rest of the stomach and which loses much of the its function, leaving to store food. In addition, a cut is made in the first part of the intestine, called the jejunum; Connect a portion of the intestine to the smaller stomach: a direct passage is created for food in the form of a tube; Join the part of the intestine that was connected to the large part of the stomach to the tube: this connection allows the food, which comes from the previous connection created, to mix with the digestive enzymes, taking place the digestion.
Generally, this surgery is performed by videolaparoscopy, with 4 to 6 small holes in the abdomen that allow the passage of a microchamber and instruments to perform the surgery. According to this technique, the surgeon observes the inside of the organism through a screen, commanding the instruments. Learn more at: Videolaparoscopy.
Surgery can also be performed by laparotomy, with total abdomen opening, however, it is a procedure that presents more risks than laparoscopy.
The gastric bypass to lose weight causes a loss of up to 70% of the initial weight and allows to maintain this loss over the years, because in addition to the patient being quickly satiated, the alteration of the intestine, leads to less absorption of what is ingested.
How is recovery
Recovery from gastric bypass is slow and can take between 6 months to 1 year, with weight loss being more intense in the first 3 months. To ensure a better recovery, it is necessary to take some precautions such as:
- Follow the diet indicated by the nutritionist, which changes over the weeks. Learn more at: Food after bariatric surgery. Take vitamin supplements, such as iron or vitamin B12 due to the risk of chronic anemia; Bandage the abdomen at the health center one week after surgery; Remove the drain, which is a container for excess fluids to escape from the stoma, according to medical advice. Take acid-inhibiting medications, such as Omeprazole before meals to protect the stomach as directed by a doctor; Avoid efforts in the first 30 days to prevent any clamps from loosening.
The results of this bariatric surgery will appear over the weeks, however, it may be necessary to perform cosmetic surgery, such as abdominoplasty, 1 to 2 years afterwards to remove the excess skin.
Learn more about recovery at: How is recovery from bariatric surgery.
Possible complications
It is common for the person who has a bypass to experience nausea, vomiting, heartburn or diarrhea during the first month after surgery. However, the most serious complications of this surgery include:
- Fistula from scarring of the stomach or intestine, which can increase the chances of infections, such as peritonitis or sepsis, for example; Severe bleeding in the scarred stomach area; Chronic anemia, mainly due to vitamin B12 deficit; Dumping syndrome, which causes symptoms such as nausea, intestinal cramps, fainting and diarrhea after a person has eaten. See more at: How to relieve the symptoms of Dumping Syndrome.
In some cases, the person may even need further surgery to correct the problem.
Watch the following video and see what situations bariatric surgery is recommended for:
