Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
If you’ve struggled with your weight and have a considerable amount to lose, Roux-en-Y (“ROO-on-why”) gastric bypass is a procedure that can help. Roux-en-Y permanently reduces the size of the stomach to help you lose weight. It’s the most common weight-loss surgery, also called gastric bypass or stomach stapling.
What to expect
During the procedure, your surgeon uses surgical staples to separate a small part of your stomach into a pouch, and then attaches your small intestines to this pouch. Afterward, when you eat, food will only go into the pouch. You won’t be able to eat as much as you did before surgery, so you’ll feel full faster. This can help with gradual, safe weight loss. In most cases, people are able to lose 60 to 70% of their extra body weight after a Roux-en-Y.
Roux-en-Y is often done laparoscopically. This means smaller incisions, so you’ll heal faster with less scarring. The procedure usually takes about 2 hours to perform and requires a hospital stay of 2 to 3 days.
Recovery
You’ll be able to go back to your normal activities in about 1 to 3 weeks. Your digestive tract won’t absorb nutrients like iron, calcium and vitamin B12 as well as it used to, so you’ll need to take vitamin supplements.
Locations
Aurora surgeons perform Roux-en-Y surgery at:
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