Roux En Y

Roux en Y is the most common surgical procedure for gastric bypass surgery United States. It results in weight loss with acceptable risks and minimal side effects. During this surgery the surgeon makes the stomach into a small pouch. He then divides the small intestines in half and reattaches them to the new smaller stomach. This makes food go past a large part of the intestines, and with the stomachs smaller holding capacity allows the patient to lose weight.

You eat less you lose weight. During the surgery, the stomach is divided into two compartments. A new pouch is made and it holds about 1 ounce of food but it expands to about 3 ounces with time. The small intestine is then divided and one part attached to the new pouch (stomach).

Although long term surgical complications are rare, some people develop long-term deficiencies of vitamin B12, folate and iron. Some people develop "dumping syndrome". This is a condition where the consumption of sugar causes abdominal cramping/diarrhea. It ultimately helps in altering food choices as it happens to about 50% of people. This of course causes weight loss. This procedure is only used to treat people who are morbidly obese, not a few pounds overweight.

The name for the surgery is taken from the surgeon that first did it Cesar Roux. The procedure is also used for reconstruction after a partial or complete gastrectomy (stomach removal) for cancer. A Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunosty is used to treat bile duct obstruction which may happen secondary to a common bile duct tumor or hepatic duct tumor, a Roux-en Y choledochojejunostomy does the same for the ducts of the gall bladder.

While this surgery, done under an open incision, is very effective in the long term, it is not totally free of post-operative complications. Things such as wound infection, wound dehiscence (opening after surgical closure), pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lung) and cardiac problems make recovery long and sometimes difficult. A new less invasive approach is also being used now in which a large long incision is not used which results in a much faster recovery time, less pain and the patient being able to walk very soon after surgery thus lessening the chance of complications such as blood clots.

Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass
This is also a surgical procedure done under general anesthesia but it is done laproscopically. This is minimally invasive surgery, also called band aid surgery and keyhole surgery because tiny holes are made into he patients abdomen and instruments inserted through them. Tiny cameras are inserted to send images back to a video screen so the surgeon can see what he is doing while the instruments necessary to perform the operation are inserted through the other tubes.

In the case of the Roux en Y gastric bypass surgery, when done laproscopically there are 5 incisions made in the patients abdomen each between 5mm and 12mm long. Instruments such as graspers, liver retractor, harmonic scalpels and a camera are then inserted one in each to do the operation. The abdomen is usually inflated with a carbon dioxide gas to create working and viewing space. This gas is common to the body and easily absorbed by tissue and removed through the respirator system. It is also non-flammable.

There are many advantages to this type of open Roux-en-Y gastric bypas surgery. These include reduced chance of hemorrhage, smaller incisions which reduce pain and recovery time, and less pain medication being needed. Although the operation itself done this way may take a slightly longer time than with an open incision the hospital stay is much less, sometimes only one day. It allows the patient to return to normal everyday living much sooner.

So is the Roux en Y surgery for you? Speak with your doctor but it may be if you have been morbidly obese for five years, if you are depressed or have a major psychiatric illness make sure it is under control, you are between 18 and 65 years old and have no problems with alcohol.

Laproscopic weight loss results are excellent with approximate 70-80% of excess weight lost over one to five years. Some other things to discuss with your doctor are those that sometimes happen after the surgery. When part of the intestine where minerals are absorbed is bypassed you may end up with deficiencies in certain minerals and vitamins. This can lead to long-term problems like osteoporosis, ask if you should be taking supplements. You may also need to work with a dietitian to make meal plans to keep your vitamins and mineral levels up. Some people do develop gallstones and sometimes the gallbladder is taken out during the Roux-en-Y bypass for this reason.

If you are morbidly obese, with a BMI of 40 or above, you definitely should speak to your doctor and find out more about the procedure which can put you on a healthy lifestyle tract for the rest of your life.

I have selected three videos from youtube with a lot of good information in it. The first video gives you a good idea how a roux en y bypass is preformed. In the second video a doctor explains how you can prepare yourself the best before a gastric bypass roux en y surgery. The third video is about someone who have had an roux-en-y operation and is discussing the complications that you can have after the surgery. The third video is in audio only.