Description of the operation
Gastric ByPass(GBP) consists of the reduction of the volume of the gastric pouch (the remaining portion of the stomach is excluded by a stitch) linked with a deviation of the flow of foods towards the first tract of the intestine.
It is a reversible operation.
Weight loss takes place by:
- Reduction of the sense of hunger,
- Disappearance of unpleasant sypmtoms when introducing sweet foods,
- Reduction in the quantity of food introduced.
It is not a malabsorbing operation for the macro-nutrients (lipids, fats, proteins); it may be malabsorbing for some micro-nutrients such as Calcium, Iron and Vitamin B12.
For whom it is required
It is indicated for patients who have a BMI greater than 50, for those who eat sweet foods, in the case of food eating disorders, and as subsequent intervention in case of failure in the restrictive interventions.
The results
The gastric bypass has good results on weight loss, and the loss takes place mainly in the first year: the percentage of excess weight loss is in the order of 70-80%.
It is however important to maintain over time a balanced food intake, both to avoid a partial regaining of weight and to not meet with nutritive shortages.
The checks
The checks to be carried out after gastric bypass are at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months from the operation; subsequently they become annual and are performed by the surgeon, medical dietician, and the company technician; the psychologist intervenes when necessary.
Some blood sample tests are programmed at different stages to check for possible nutritional shortages in case of insufficient or unbalanced diet.
