What is mini gastric bypass surgery?

Mini gastric bypass surgery is an operation that helps people with obesity lose weight more quickly and effectively. This surgery is performed in less time than other similar operations, which allows patients to go home sooner and it is also less expensive.

It is an advanced option for those who have serious health problems such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, in addition to being obese. The surgery combines two popular methods: gastric bypass and gastric sleeve, to help the body absorb less food, resulting in rapid weight loss.

This operation is especially recommended for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more, and is performed with small incisions in the abdomen, making it less invasive. Thanks to this surgery, patients can lose weight significantly in a short time and learn to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

How is the Mini Gastric Bypass performed?

The Mini Gastric Bypass is an operation that usually lasts about an hour, although it may take a little longer if the person is severely obese. During the surgery, 5 to 6 small cuts are made in the abdomen, each no more than 1 cm long. Special cameras and instruments that are small enough not to damage the tissues are inserted through these cuts.
First, a small tube is created in the upper part of the stomach, separating it from the rest of the stomach. This tube will be the new “stomach” that will be used after the operation, and no organs are removed or cut during the process. Although the rest of the stomach no longer stores food, it continues to produce the gastric juices necessary for digestion.
The new stomach pouch is about 18 cm long. This new pouch is then connected to the small intestine, but not at the closest point, but two meters further. This additional distance helps the body absorb less food, which contributes to weight loss.

What are the advantages of the mini gastric bypass?

The mini gastric bypass has several advantages that make it an attractive option for those who are looking for a surgery to treat obesity. Here I explain them in a simpler way:

Fewer complications: After surgery, there is less risk of serious problems compared to other similar operations.
Effective weight loss: This surgery is very successful in helping people lose weight after the operation.
Ideal for those who have other diseases: It is especially good for obese people who also have problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.
Eating small portions: After surgery, your stomach will be much smaller, which means you will only be able to eat small amounts of food. This makes it easier to control your weight.
Less calorie absorption: Because your new stomach will be connected to your intestine later than normal, your body won’t absorb all the calories from food, which helps you lose weight and avoid gaining it back.
Feel full faster: Since food will not pass through the old stomach, you will feel full faster and longer, which also helps with weight control.
Fast recovery: The operation is performed with a technique called laparoscopy, which is less invasive. This means your body will recover faster, wounds will heal sooner, and you will be able to go home in less time.
Shorter surgery: The operation takes less time than other surgeries to treat obesity, which is an advantage for both the patient and the doctors.
Less hunger: After surgery, you will feel less hungry and it will be easier to adapt to a healthy diet.
Effective for type 2 diabetes: If you have type 2 diabetes, this surgery is one of the most effective surgeries to help you control that disease along with obesity.

What are the risks of mini gastric bypass?

Bile reflux: After an operation, sometimes digestive juice from the liver (bile) can come up into the stomach. This is rare, but it can make a person feel sick. Doctors may give medicine to protect the stomach. If the problem is very serious, sometimes another operation is needed.
Stomach ulcer: In rare cases, people who have bile reflux for a long time may develop a sore in the stomach called an ulcer. This can happen where the stomach connects to the intestines. To treat it, doctors use special syrups or pills and do an exam with a camera to look at the stomach. If the ulcer does not get better in 3 months, another operation may be needed.
Dumping syndrome: This can happen after some weight-loss surgeries. If the person is not careful about what they eat, especially foods full of sugar or flour, they may feel very sick. When you eat these foods, a lot of fluid passes quickly from the stomach to the intestines, causing them to swell. In addition, blood pressure can drop, which can cause nausea, vomiting or fainting. Therefore, it is important to avoid foods such as white bread, pasta, sweets and cookies.

Feeding process after mini gastric bypass surgery

After the operation, about 3-4 hours later, you will get up and start walking slowly. After 24 hours, you will start drinking only liquids, and this will continue for two weeks. The whole feeding process will be planned by expert nutritionists, and it will be important to follow the diets they indicate.
After the first two weeks, you will start eating pureed food for another two weeks. This means that you will be able to eat food, but it will have to be pureed. However, you will also continue to drink liquids during this time.
After these four weeks, you will be able to start eating normal food. From this point on, it will be very important to follow the nutritionist’s advice and avoid eating too many carbohydrates and fats. In particular, you should be careful with foods containing refined oils and sugars.

How is the price of the Minigastric Bypass determined?

The cost of a Mini gastric Bypass depends on several things. For example, how much other hospitals charge, how specialized the hospital where you will be treated is, and how much experience the doctor who will operate on you has. The materials and medications to be used also play a role.
After an initial examination to see how healthy you are, they will be able to tell you exactly how much the operation will cost.

Contact the specialists at Bariatricsmx and learn about the prices and benefits of having this procedure performed at our hospital.