Bariatric Surgery Procedures
in Denver, Colorado
Overview | Goals & Risks | Candidates | How It Works |
Procedure | Preoperative Testing | Complications of Surgery | Postoperative Care | Long-term Care | Expected Outcome | Case Studies | Questions and Answers
Procedure Description
The preferred bariatric surgical approach at the Colorado Bariatric Surgery Institute is the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure. As described, it is a combination of a restrictive and malabsorptive procedure.
- A laparoscopy is a long tube with a small camera lens at one end connected by fiber optics to a television camera at the other end. Several small incisions are made through which instruments are passed to conduct the procedure.
- The upper portion of the stomach is freed and a row of staples is placed horizontally (side to side) a few centimeters below the esophagus--stomach junction.
- A tiny pouch is created (gastric reservoir) at the top of the stomach and is about 1-2 ounces in size. The pouch is totally separated from the rest of the stomach.
- The small bowel (jejunum) is brought up and attached to the stomach pouch, establishing a food channel. The duodenum and first part of the jejunum are separated from this portion of the food channel.
- The upper small bowel which contains the duodenum, bile, and pancreas is attached to the side of the food channel forming a Y-shaped arrangement of the bowel.
- A surgical anastamosis/connection is performed to precisely and accurately secure the stomach pouch.
- The procedure results in restricted food intake because of the small size of the stomach pouch and poor absorption of food, because now the bile and pancreatic secretions come into contact with food well beyond the stomach.
