Gastric Bypass Surgery in Dallas/Ft. Worth – About the Procedure
Dr. Wade Barker performs both open and laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery at his Dallas/Ft. Worth bariatric surgery center. Depending on your health and your weight loss goals, Dr. Barker will recommend the procedure that is right for you. Explore the page below for general information about the gastric bypass procedure, and the risks and benefits of undergoing gastric bypass surgery.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric bypass surgery helps patients lose weight because it greatly restricts the amount of food they can eat and limits absorption of some calories. During Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, Dallas/Ft. Worth surgeon Wade Barker, M.D., uses staples to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach. He then connects this pouch to the lower part of the small intestine. That means the food will no longer pass through the lower part of the stomach or upper part of the small intestine. Instead, it will go straight from the small stomach pouch to the lower part of the small intestine. Since the pouch can only hold a few ounces at a time, the amount of food a patient can eat is severely limited. Patients must also chew their food carefully following gastric bypass surgery. Follow-up visits to our Dallas/Ft. Worth practice will be necessary to monitor post-surgery health.
Open vs. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery
There are two ways to perform Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. One method, called open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, involves cutting a patient open and performing surgery through an eight- to ten-inch incision in the abdomen. Another method is called laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. During this procedure, the surgeon makes five or six very small incisions 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. He then inserts a small fiber optic tube, connected to a video camera, inside the incisions. A television screen near the operating table gives the surgeon a view of the patient's internal organs and allows him to perform the surgery by inserting instruments into the small abdominal incisions.
The benefit of laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is that it can lead to a shorter hospital stay, shorter recovery time, lower risk of hernia, and less scarring than traditional open surgery. Unlike open gastric bypass surgery, it does not compromise the body’s immune system. Possible complications of this type of surgery include bowel obstruction and leaks. Not everyone is a good candidate for laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery at our Dallas/Ft. Worth practice. Please talk to our weight loss surgeon, Dr. Wade Barker, to find out which method is appropriate for you.
Benefits of Surgery
Gastric bypass surgery has provided life-changing benefits for our Dallas/Ft. Worth patients. When post-gastric bypass surgery guidelines are followed, patients can generally expect to see the following improvements in the months and years after surgery:
Decrease in Appetite - Patients often report feeling less hungry following bariatric surgery. Many become less preoccupied with food and weight loss becomes easier.
Weight Loss - After undergoing gastric bypass surgery or LAP-BAND surgery, most patients begin to experience weight loss right away. Patients usually continue to lose weight for 18 months to two years. Many regain some weight after this time, though very few regain it all.
Improvement in Obesity Related Medical Conditions - Bariatric surgery often improves or eliminates many medical problems associated with obesity such as hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, urinary stress incontinence, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Bariatric surgery can also increase overall life expectancy.
Quality of Life Improvements - Many patients find that their stamina, mood, self-esteem, and interpersonal relations improve following weight loss from bariatric surgery. They may also begin to feel more socially accepted.
If you are interested in learning more about gastric bypass surgery, contact bariatric surgeon Wade Barker, M.D., in Dallas/Ft. Worth today.
Possible Risks and Complications
During your Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery consultation at our Dallas/Ft. Worth bariatric surgery center, Dr. Barker will go over the possible risks of surgery, which may include:
Blood Clot - Like all types of surgery, gastric bypass surgery poses some degree of risk. There is a small risk that a blood clot could form in a patient’s legs and lead to an embolism. We minimize this risk by giving patients a blood thinner before and after gastric bypass surgery.
Infection - There is also a slight risk that an infection may develop in the incision area following gastric bypass surgery. When this occurs, a patient must treat the wound at home by allowing it to drain and constantly applying fresh bandages.
Chronic Vomiting - Another rare complication is chronic vomiting. This can occur if excessive scar tissue forms, making the opening between the stomach and the bowel too small for food to pass through. This complication can usually be corrected through an outpatient procedure but sometimes requires revisional gastric bypass surgery.
Gallstones - Rapid weight loss can sometimes lead to gallstones. If gallstones are present when you undergo gastric bypass surgery at a Dallas/Ft. Worth hospital, the doctor will remove them. He may also prescribe a medication that helps to prevent more gallstones from forming.
Hernias - Postoperative hernias occur about 10 percent to 20 percent of the time following open gastric bypass surgery. The risk is believed to be somewhat less following laparoscopic surgery.
Nutrient Deficiencies - Gastric bypass surgery can lead to nutrient deficiencies because it limits the absorption of some vitamins and nutrients. Such deficiencies can be avoided by taking daily vitamin and mineral supplements.
Bowel Obstruction - There is a possibility you could develop a bowel obstruction after gastric bypass surgery. You can speak with Dallas/Ft. Worth surgeon Wade Barker, M.D., for more information about this possible complication.
Dumping Syndrome - Patients who develop this syndrome have trouble eating sweets after gastric bypass surgery. When they eat sweets they experience symptoms such as sweating, fatigue, lightheadedness, and diarrhea. Additionally, eating large amounts of fat can result in diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
Weight Gain - About two years after gastric bypass surgery, some of our Dallas/Ft. Worth area patients may experience a 10- to 30-pound weight regain.
Other Problems - Rarely, bariatric surgery may cause potentially fatal complications such as peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum, a membrane that lines the abdomen) and bleeding.
For more information about gastric bypass surgery, contact our bariatric surgery center in Dallas/Ft. Worth today.
