A gastric bypass operation can provide hope for many living with morbid obesity, that they may someday live normal healthy lives. There are two main types of gastric bypass surgery, both of which provide similar results. Gastric bypass surgery does two things that contribute to the drastic weight loss for patients. First, the stomach size is decreased either through stapling, banding or removal. Secondly, the intestine is modified to bypass the duodenum and jejunum. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine that connects it to the stomach and the jejunum is the middle part of the intestinal tract where digestion takes place. The most common type of gastric bypass operation is the Roux-ex-Y gastric bypass or RGB. With RGB, a small stomach pouch is created with either banding or stapling, which immediately limits the amount of food a person can eat. A section of the small intestine is then attached to the stomach pouch, which bypass the duodenum and the first part of the jejunum. This reduces the calorie and nutrient absorption in the digestive process. Because RGB can often be done laparoscopically, there is a more rapid recovery time than with extensive gastric bypass surgery. Extensive gastric bypass, also called biliopancreatic diversion surgery, is a more complicated surgery with higher risk for nutritional deficiencies, thus it is less commonly used. In extensive gastric bypass the lower portion of the stomach is removed, leaving only a small portion of the stomach in tact. This small portion is then attached to the lower end of the small intestine, or the ileum. This surgery bypasses all of the duodenum and the jejunum. With very little of the small intestine being utilized by the body in digestion, malabsorption occurs. In both surgeries, it is the combination of restriction of food intake and the absorption of calories and nutrients that cause significant weight loss.
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