Roux En Y Gastric Bypass Specialist

Roux En Y is the most common of all gastric bypass procedures performed in the United States today. This procedure can help obese people in the San Bernardino, Riverside, and surrounding areas of Southern California to better manage their disease. Douglas Krahn, MD, FACS at Western Bariatric, AMC is ready to help.

What is Roux En Y?

Roux En Y the most popular gastric bypass option in the U.S. today by a wide margin. In this procedure, the surgeon will create a new stomach pouch that is approximately the size of a single egg. This new pouch is reattached to the bowel for the purpose of bypassing a significant portion of the small intestine. By doing this, the patient eats less due to the smaller stomach pouch. The food that is eaten is not absorbed as readily as it was before, a process called malabsorption. The two things combined allow for fast weight loss.

How do Distal and Proximal Roux En Y Surgeries Differ?

In the distal Roux En Y, the small intestine is sectioned off in a Y shape called the Roux limb. This limb is created at around 18 inches beneath the lower stomach outlet in a distal surgery. In the proximal Roux En Y, a larger portion of the small intestine will be left intact. The larger section of intact intestine allows for better nutrient absorption.

What is the Recovery Process After a Roux En Y Gastric Bypass?

After a Roux En Y gastric bypass procedure, patients will generally be on a liquid or pureed food diet for as much as 4 weeks. At around one month following the surgery, the doctor will generally recommend that the patient starts adding soft food into their diet, followed by the re-introduction of high protein foods. Because the stomach can no longer hold nearly as much as it did previously, patients will need to be careful about portion control. Sugars and Carbohydrates are not tolerated well and even small amounts may cause dumping syndrome (a rush of sugar dumped into the bloodstream quickly). The doctor will recommend vitamins and minerals to help patients stay healthy during recovery, as well.

Does a Silastic Ring Help Improve Weight Loss?

If you’re undergoing Gastric Bypass, you should consider the silastic ring. The procedure is the same for Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y, the only difference is that a silastic ring is placed around the pouch just above the anastomosis (the connection between the gastric pouch and bypassed intestine). Many surgeons believe that the silastic ring helps improve weight loss and helps the patient avoid regaining the weight in the future by keeping food portions small.