METABOLIC SURGERY: GASTRIC BYPASS
For patients who are severely obese and/or are suffering from weight-related health problems such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and especially type 2 diabetes, gastric bypass surgery provides one of the safest, most effective methods for rapid weight loss and correction of related health problems. Metabolic surgeries like gastric bypass work by altering the way your body processes food. Gastric bypass, specifically, enables significant weight loss in two ways:
- You will want to eat less. After gastric bypass surgery, the food-processing part of the stomach is reduced to the size of a walnut and is only be able to hold about an ounce of food. As portion size is controlled and your appetite suppressed, smaller amounts of food will make you feel full.
- Your body will absorb fewer calories. As food moves through your small intestine, the body absorbs calories and nutrients. Because gastric bypass surgery shortens the length of the small intestine, your body has less time to absorb calories.
Perhaps more importantly, gastric bypass surgery has been shown to have an astonishing impact on type 2 diabetes. While the mechanism by which gastric bypass quickly normalizes the glucose homeostasis that is at the root of type 2 diabetes is thus far unknown, a vast majority of patients have seen rapid improvement in their diabetes even before weight loss begins.
While gastric bypass is more invasive than many bariatric surgeries, the vast improvement in surgical techniques coupled with the impressive weight loss results and amazing impact on obesity-related health problems make it an optimal choice for many patients. As lead surgeon at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery in Altamonte Springs, Florida, Dr. Wiljon Beltre is a fellowship-trained, Board Certified surgeon who is committed to staying abreast of the latest developments in metabolic surgery, as well as to building a surgical practice that takes a comprehensive, holistic approach to weight loss. Our warm, compassionate team of experts is dedicated to helping you lose the weight you want and keep it off, restoring your health, your well-being, and your self-confidence!
GASTRIC BYPASS PROCEDURE AND LONG-TERM LIFESTYLE CHANGES
Gastric bypass surgery must be performed in an accredited hospital facility under general anesthesia. For most patients, the procedure can be performed laparoscopically, making it as safe as any commonly performed surgical procedure and minimizing negative side effects, such as pain and discomfort, scarring, and risk of infection and hernia. Using about six small incisions in the abdomen, a small video camera and precise instruments are passed into the body, allowing the surgeon to complete the required surgical steps:
- Surgical staples are used to separate the stomach into two halves, a small top half (the “pouch”) and a larger bottom half.
- The small intestine is cut in two, and the lower half is sutured to an opening in the pouch, allowing food to bypass the bottom part of the stomach and shortening the intestine.
- The bottom part of the stomach and remainder of the intestine are attached to a small hole in the intestine below the point where the food passes from the pouch, enabling digestive juices to aid the absorption of the food as it passes through the remainder of the small intestine.
As with any surgical procedure, gastric bypass entails certain risks that Dr. Beltre will review with you before you undergo the procedure; he will also discuss steps you should take before and after the surgery to minimize these risks. He and his team will provide strict guidance on important, long-term lifestyle changes required to ensure the success of your gastric bypass surgery. By following the advice provided by our team of experts, continuing a healthy diet and exercise routine, and maintaining and building relationships with an ongoing support network, you will give yourself the greatest possible chance to finally achieve the weight loss success you have worked so hard for.
CONTACT THE CENTER FOR METABOLIC AND OBESITY SURGERY
At The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, located in Altamonte Springs, Florida, we offer a proven, multifaceted approach to metabolic and bariatric surgery that will empower you to achieve your weight loss goals, improve your health and appearance, and rebuild your self-confidence. Led by esteemed, Board Certified surgeon Dr. Wiljon Beltre, one of the only fellowship-trained bariatric surgeons in Central Florida, we specialize in the latest cutting-edge procedures for safe, effective surgical weight loss coupled with a dedicated support team of caring, experienced specialists who will stand by your side to support you throughout your entire weight loss journey. Significant weight loss is not easy, but with the help of with our confidential consultation and education process, the surgical skill and experience of our medical team, and the advice and guidance of our ongoing support network, we can help you achieve the lasting weight loss success you have been dreaming about.
If you are tired of the endless rounds of fad dieting and fruitless exercise regimens and think you may be ready for significant weight loss with gastric bypass surgery, or if you would like more information on all of the weight loss surgery options at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, contact us today for a free, individual consultation. We look forward to helping you start your weight loss journey today! Call 407-634-4375 or Click Here to Schedule a Consultation.
DISCLAIMER: Metabolic surgery involves a lifetime commitment to significant lifestyle changes, and is not for everyone. Individual results differ depending on each patient’s medical history and willingness and ability to adhere to the weight loss program specified by Dr. Beltre. As with all surgical procedures, all forms of metabolic surgery carry the risk of complications and side effects; additional details about potential complications, side effects, and other risks will be provided to you by Dr. Beltre during your pre-surgical consultations.
