Gastric bypass is a combination procedure that limits the amount of food that you can eat and digest.
The most common gastric bypass surgery is called the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
In a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the stomach is made smaller by creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach using surgical staples or a plastic band. The resulting pouch is only about the size of a walnut and can hold about one ounce of food. 
After the pouch has been created, most of the stomach and part of the intestines are bypassed by attaching (usually stapling) a part of the intestine to the small stomach pouch. As a result, a gastric bypass patient cannot eat as much and absorbs fewer nutrients and calories.
Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is a less invasive procedure than open surgery. The minimally invasive laparoscopic method allows for less time spent in the hospital and faster recovery and healing time.
Advantages of gastric bypass:
- Rapid initial weight loss
- Minimally invasive approach is common
- Longer clinical experience in the U.S.
- Slightly higher total average weight loss reported than with purely restrictive procedures
Note: During the first year after surgery, weight loss with the gastric bypass is greater than with the gastric band. Gastric bypass surgeons report that at 5 years many gastric band and gastric bypass patients achieve comparable weight loss (55% for banding and 59% for bypass).
Disadvantages of gastric bypass:
- Cutting and stapling of stomach and bowel are required
- More operative complications
- Portion of digestive tract is bypassed, reducing absorption of essential nutrients
- Medical complications due to nutritional deficiencies
- "Dumping syndrome" can occur
- Non-adjustable
- Extremely difficult to reverse
- Higher mortality rate
Risks
- Mortality rate: 0.5-2%
- Total complications: 23%
- Major complications: 2.1%
The most common complications include:
- Standard risks associated with major surgery
- Nausea and vomiting
- Separation of stapled areas (requires major revisional surgery)
- Leaks from staple lines (requires major revisional surgery)
- Nutritional deficiencies
Recovery timeline
- Hospital stay is usually 48-72 hours
- Many patients return to normal activity within 2 1/2 weeks
- Full surgical recovery usually occurs within about 3 weeks
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