Gastric Bypass Surgery

Sharp HealthCare offers Roux-en-Y laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, a type of bariatric surgery, is a surgical weight-loss procedure that alters the process of digestion. In this procedure, the surgeon staples the stomach to create a small pouch that holds less food and then shapes a portion of the small intestine into a "Y." Then the surgeon connect the "Y" portion of intestine to the stomach pouch so that when food is being digested it travels directly into the lower part of the small intestine. The pouch will usually hold about one ounce of food or less, which causes a feeling of fullness after just a few bites. The surgery can be done laparoscopically, which means smaller incisions, faster recovery and less pain.

Laparoscopic Procedure

Sharp-affiliated physicians perform the Roux-en-Y surgery using laparoscopic techniques. The surgeon makes just five to six small incisions and inserts a small camera (also called a scope) into the abdomen through the incision. Compared with the traditional "open" gastric bypass, the laparoscopic technique can lead to a shorter hospital stay and a quicker recovery. Only you and your surgeon can determine if you can be treated using laparoscopic gastric bypass. Talk with your doctor if you are interested in this option.

Candidate Requirements for Laparoscopic Procedure

• Men who are 100 pounds over their ideal body weight or women who are 80 pounds over their ideal body weight
• Persons with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 — find out your BMI
• Persons with a BMI between 35 and 40 who have another condition such as obesity-related Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or heart disease

Advantages of Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

• Better wound healing
• Faster recovery
• Less pain
• Less pain medication
• Less scarring

Disadvantages of Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

• Bleeding ulcer
• Blood clots
• Can cause "dumping syndrome” (food in the stomach moves to the intestines quickly and can cause nausea, sweating, fainting, weakness and diarrhea)
• Development of gallstone
• Infection
• Pneumonia

Why Choose Sharp for Bariatric Surgery?

• 99 percent of surgeries are performed laparoscopically, which means the surgery is minimally invasive and that the incisions are extremely small, which leads to faster recovery, less pain, and less scarring.
• Extensive maintenance services, including long-term nutritional and behavioral health support groups and individual diet plans to help patients reach weight-loss goals
• Low complication rate, well below the national average of 13 to 14 percent
• Thorough personalized weight-loss goal assessments ensure that bariatric surgery is the best choice for each individual patient

Learn More About Our Programs — Attend a Free Seminar
Sharp offers Roux-en-Y laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, located in the South Bay San Diego, and Sharp Memorial Hospital, located in Serra Mesa, adjacent to Kearny Mesa off Highway 163. The first step in obtaining weight-loss surgery at Sharp is to attend one of our free educational seminars. These seminars provide information about the surgery, other treatment options, program requirements, lifestyle changes, risks, potential complications and benefits. The seminars are designed to help you make an educated and informed decision about whether surgery is right for you.

To sign up for a free informational seminar, call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277) or register for our bariatric surgery seminar online.

To Learn More
Learn more about the Roux-en-Y procedure by reading frequently asked questions about gastric bypass.

If you do not meet the requirements for weight-loss surgery or you aren't sure if weight-loss surgery is for you, but are still interested in losing weight, please visit Weight Management in Sharp Services to learn more about Sharp’s personalized weight-loss programs.