Gastric bypass is the surgery that helps someone to lose weight. This surgery changes how the stomach and the small intestine handle the food we eat. 

The surgery reduces the size of the stomach. For that reason you will feel full with less food. India has some of the top most hospitals which provide the best treatment for gastric bypass surgery.

Types of the surgery

There are mainly two types of gastric bypass surgery.

• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: Here the digestive tract is sewn together in 2 different places
• Single anastomosis or ‘mini’ gastric bypass: it is the more common type of gastric bypass surgery. Here the digestive tract is sewn together in only one place.

Why gastric bypass surgery is done?

There are always some serious issues associated with high body weight. Gastric bypass surgery is done when diet and exercise haven’t worked or when you have serious health problems because of your weight. Some weight-loss procedures limit your amount of food you intake. Others reduce the body’s ability to absorb fat and calories. 

How the surgery is performed?

Gastric bypass surgery is done in two steps:

In the initial step, stomach is made smaller. In order to achieve this, surgeon uses staples to divide your stomach. The stomach is then decided into two sections, a small upper section and a larger bottom section. The top section of your stomach also called the pouch, is where the food we eat will go. The size of the pouch is small like a walnut. It holds only about 28 grams (g) of food. Hence you will eat less and lose weight.

The second step is called the bypass. Here a part of your small intestine (the jejunum) is connected to a small hole in the pouch. Now the food you eat will travel from the pouch into this new opening and from where it will go into your small intestine below where it would normally go, thus bypassing part of your small intestine. As a result of this, your body will absorb fewer calories.

Risk of gastric bypass surgery

There are certain risks related to gastric bypass surgery. Some of them may include:

• Bleeding or leaks from the line or joins made using staples.
• Bowel obstruction
• Deficiency in nutrient and vitamin
• Dumping syndrome (a range of symptoms after in taking carbohydrate-rich meals)
• Low blood sugar

With any surgery risk are always involved. with any surgery, there is a risk of infection or that the surgery does not work. In that case, You should talk to your doctor about the risks of the procedure.

Advantages of gastric bypass surgery

Since we have talked about the risks involved with gastric bypass surgery, let us discuss the advantages of the surgery.

The advantages involved with gastric bypass surgery:

• Results in weight loss for long term
• Restricts the amount of food intake.
• Produces favourable changes in gut hormones which normalises blood sugar level.

This surgery is associated with minimal pain and early recovery of patients. Normally patients start walking on the same day of surgery.

Helps in improvement of associated illness like diabetes, blood pressure, joint pains, sleeping disorders, infertility issues etc.

Why India for gastric bypass surgery?

India has some of the world class hospitals with the latest technologies. These hospitals provide the best treatment for gastric bypass surgery.

The healthcare providers and the surgeons are highly educated and experienced in this field which makes the patients to rely on them.

On the other hand, the overall cost of the treatment is very low compare to the other western countries.