Gastric bypass is a surgical procedure intended to treat morbid obesity, in which excess weight caused by the accumulation of excess fat in the body causes other health problems. Gastric bypass is the most widely performed surgical procedure among all bariatric surgery procedures. In this surgical procedure, diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and bad cholesterol levels, which can be accompanied by metabolic syndrome, can be controlled more easily.

This operation intended to reduce the volume of the stomach and restrict its absorption capacity consists of two stages. At the initial stage of this surgical procedure, which is performed laparoscopically, a small stomach tube with a volume of 30 ml is created at the entrance of the stomach, and the remaining larger part of stomach is then completely separated. This large part of the stomach is removed from the abdomen, and the remaining part continues to produce secretions. In the second stage, the resultant small stomach is anastomosed to the small intestine. This connection allows foods to bypass the stomach and enter the small intestine. As a result of this, the amount of food consumed is restricted. Thus, it can be possible to achieve weight loss because of less eating and less absorption.

There two types of this method that restrict food intake. The process of connecting the small intestine to the stomach with anastomosis without separation is called a mini-gastric bypass. In Roux’s Y gastric bypass, the small intestine is separated and its one end is anastomosed to the stomach and the other end to the small intestine at a certain distance. Both of these procedures contribute to weight loss with results close to each other. In short, after this procedure, the patient consumes less food and can benefit less from the foods he/she  consumes.

Compared to a sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass can give more obvious results. The person’s feeling of hunger decreases while his/her feeling of satiety increases. As a result of this, the person’s blood sugar level remains stable. Since it is a procedure that restricts food intake after the operation, losing 60 to 80 percent of excess body weight can be observed. However the complication rate of gastric bypass is higher than that of sleeve gastrectomy, and long-term or life-long medication may be needed after the procedure.