Gastric Bypass Surgery – Origins of the Procedure

Gastric bypass surgery has become an increasingly popular
procedure for people suffering from morbid obesity. When diets
and exercise routines continually fail, or when obesity-related
health issues become life threatening, doctors may recommend
gastric bypass surgery as a solution to dramatically reduce a
patient’s weight.

Surgeons first experimented with weight loss surgery almost 40
years ago after noticing that patients who had portions of their
small intestines removed for other reasons lost a tremendous
amount of weight after their surgery, no matter how much they
ate. The theory was that food would pass through the intestine
so quickly that the body would only absorb a portion of the
calories.

Although the earliest weight loss surgery procedure was
extremely successful in producing weight loss, it also prevented
the body from absorbing essential nutrients and caused sever
nutritional deficiency diseases, many of which were fatal.
Today, surgeons have developed procedures to limit the amount of
food that can be eaten while still allowing essential nutrients
to be absorbed by making the available stomach smaller and
bypassing a portion of the intestine. The surgery means that
patients can only eat a few bites of food before feeling full.

Of course, obesity is a complicated issue, and its causes go
beyond mere physical symptoms. Often, emotional and
psychological issues are the root cause of excessive weight
gain, even for people who have been heavy since childhood.
Although weight loss surgery can address the physical issues
surrounding obesity, patients are often required to undergo a
psychological screening prior to the procedure.

Support groups and online discussion forums for pre- and post-op
gastric bypass patients are a relatively new development, and
they can be vital to ensuring a patient’s success following
surgery. Doctors strongly encourage people who have undergone
weight loss surgery to join a support group as part of their
recovery. Hearing the insights and experiences of others who
have been through the same life-changing process can help new
patients manage the dramatic physical and psychological changes
they will experience after surgery, and stay on the path to
weight-loss success.

This article provides an overview of health issues related to
gastric bypass surgery and is not intended to replace the advice
of a medical practitioner. Please consult your doctor prior to
making any major medical decisions.

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