What is laparoscopic gastric bypass?

A laparoscopic gastric bypass is where a surgeon creates a gastric pouch into your stomach to stop you from eating. That’s the short answer.

Read on to discover more behind the science.

Is the laparoscopic gastric bypass invasive?

No. The laparoscopic gastric bypass is not invasive because the band is implantable using minimal-invasive (keyhole) techniques.

To-date more than 150,000 lap band surgeries have been performed. Patients who are extremely obese with heightened surgical risks benefit from the conservative entry to the abdominal cavity.

Due to the absence of upper abdominal incisions, the incidence of wound-healing complications, wound infections, postoperative pain as well as incisional hernias are drastically reduced.

It’s also cosmetically advantageous due to the absence of a large scar and it is fully reversible.

he absence of lasting modifications to the anatomy of the intestinal tract allows for relatively easy restoration to the original state by simply removing the band. This can be done using laparoscopic techniques in most cases.

How does laparoscopic gastric bypass work?

The gastric band system can be seen as putting a straight-jacket on the stomach. The small gastric pouch created above the band limits the amount of food that a patient can eat at any one time. This results in a feeling of fullness after eating a small amount of food. The band induces an early feeling of satiety, which decreases food intake.

Our method as well as other methods for obesity surgery does not however change the basic patient behaviour pattern. If the band is removed, the weight will quickly increase to what it was before surgery.

This means that the operation is not a definitive solution to the patient eating pattern or the problem of morbid obesity.

It does induce sustainable weight loss, leading to a healthier life with fewer risks for obesity related secondary diseases.

How much weight would you lose with laparoscopic gastric bypass?

It depends on:

• on the ban
• its adjustments
• your motivation to a new active lifestyle, including sports
• healthy eating habits.

Band adjustment

Adjusting the size of the opening between the two parts of the stomach controls how much food passes from the upper part to the lower part of the stomach. This opening (stoma) between the two parts of the stomach can easily be decreased or increased, by injecting or removing saline from the band.

The band is connected by a tube to a reservoir placed beneath the skin during surgery. The surgeon can later control the amount of saline in the band by piercing the reservoir through the skin with a fine needle. Being able to adjust the band is a unique feature of the gastric band and is a normal part of the follow-up.

Expected weight loss after a laparoscopic gastric bypass

In general, most patients find that they are unable to easily tolerate red meat, fresh bread and fibrous foods.

You will be asked to eat three meals a day with one planned snack, chew your food very well and swallow slowly. You must only drink either no or low caloric beverages and wait at least several minutes between eating and drinking.

Success rate in term of weight loss is heavily dependent on choosing the right surgeon, post op regular follow up including monthly band adjustments and nutritional counselling.

We have more than an 90% success rate in term of losing 50% of the excess weight within the first six months. No wonder that gastric banding is gaining huge popularity around the world and surgeons in the United States are reporting an eight months waiting list for the surgery.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass – FAQs

Where is the laparoscopic gastric bypass applied?

The laparoscopic gastric bypass is applied around the stomach about 15 mm below the gastro-oesophageal junction. On the inner lining of the band there is a longitudinal balloon (like a bicycle tire).

This balloon is inflated through a small tube attached to a subcutaneous port. The band is left empty at time of surgery but is gradually filled with fluid by injection through the subcutaneous port.

It is possible to vary the opening in the stomach after surgery.

The lap band system involves the laparoscopic placement of a hollow elastic band around the upper part of the stomach. This band divides the stomach into a small upper pouch (15cc) above the band and a larger pouch below the band. The band can help you achieve longer-lasting weight loss by limiting the amount you can eat, reducing your appetite and slowing digestion.

How long does it take to recover from laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery?

It can take up to a month, and longer in some cases, to recover from laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. You need to stay in hospital for up to 3 days to ensure the operation went well, and then you’ll typically get back to your daily activities within 5 weeks. But it can vary person to person.

Is laparoscopic gastric bypass safe?

Yes. Laparoscopic gastric bypass is safe. Europe Surgery are fully qualified and certified to perform the procedure and our patients are happy with their results.