The recovery time for laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is much less than the open surgery method, making this the preferred method when possible. Laparoscopic surgery also reduces the risk of serious post-surgical complications. Gastric bypass surgery is a tool for the morbidly obese to improve their health through weight loss by restricting the amount of food consumed and the absorption of calories.

The laparoscopic procedure is done with several small incisions, where a tube with a small camera is inserted in the abdomen allowing the surgeon to see the organs without open surgery. In addition to the camera, a light is inserted and the surgical instruments. The surgical instruments are approximately the size of a pencil. Because the incisions are smaller, fewer wound related complications occur including hernias and they produce less scarring and pain than traditional open surgical methods.

Becoming a good candidate for laparoscopic surgery will likely require some pre-surgical weight loss. Excess fatty tissue in the abdomen reduces the effectiveness of the camera, and increases the risk of an internal injury from the surgical tools, leaving no other choice but open surgery. Loosing even 10 pounds prior to surgery can help reduce the fat in the abdomen and shrink the internal organs such as the liver. Often patients are put on a liquid protein diet for several weeks or a month prior to surgery to assist with pre-surgical weight loss.

While laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is less invasive than open surgery, and weight loss surgery is a significant health risk that must be taken seriously. Gastric bypass surgery is not an easy solution for obesity. Patients must be committed to learning a new way of eating and living. Because the size of the stomach is reduced, the food intake must also be reduced, not just during recovery but throughout the remainder of a patient’s life.