Center for Bariatric Surgery

Surgical Options

The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure performed at the Center for Bariatric Surgery is endorsed by the National Institutes of Health, American College of Surgeons, Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School Affiliated Hospital and the American Society of Clinical Nutrition, as well as other well-respected medical organizations.

Whether performed using the open or laparoscopic technique, the first part of the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure involves creating a small stomach pouch. The surgeon begins by dividing the stomach in two unequal parts, creating a small upper section and a larger bottom section. The small upper section has a one-half ounce capacity. After the surgery, this pouch will be the only part of the stomach to receive food. The remainder of the stomach will be bypassed in the digestive process.

With the stomach divided, a segment of small intestine, known as the Roux Loop, is brought from the lower abdomen and joined with the small stomach pouch. When joining the Roux Loop to the stomach pouch, surgeons create a half-inch opening, referred to as the "stoma." The suture line of the stoma is inverted to reduce the possibility of leakage. This feature is routinely performed by the Center for Bariatric Surgery.

During the next part of the procedure, the bypassed portion of the stomach and a portion of the intestinal tract, known as the duodenum, are reconnected to the Roux Loop at a point located 100 centimeters from the stoma. This point of bowel reconnection is referred to as the "entero-enterostomy." The remainder of the intestinal tract is not disturbed.

Although the bypassed stomach is unable to receive food following surgery, it remains intact and still performs an important function in the digestive process. The food passes through the newly created stomach pouch, while the bypassed stomach continues to secrete stomach juices flowing through the intestinal tract. These digestive juices, along with those from the pancreas and liver, join with food at the entero-enterostomy to begin the digestive process.

Learn about laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery.

Learn about open gastric bypass surgery.