Is Bariatric Bypass Surgery For You?

There are two basic types of bariatric surgeries for weight loss: restriction procedures and malabsorption procedures. Restriction procedures reduce the size of the stomach through the use of a gastric band, staples, or both, and do not interfere with the normal digestion process. Malabsorption procedures, on the other hand, reduce the size of the stomach and bypass duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine, and sometimes the whole of the jejunum (the mid-section of the intestines). Some bariatric procedures combine the two. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is widely accepted as the most effective surgical weight loss treatment available. During this procedure, the stomach is divided into two sections, reducing the size of the new pouch 90 percent, from approximately two quarts to one or two ounces. This drastic reduction limits the new stomach pouch