Laparoscopic Roux En Y Gastric Bypass Surgery (LGB)

Yes it is. Though technically very difficult, it can be reversed surgically.

There is a minimal amount of discomfort for the first 3-4 days that can be negated by taking painkillers.

You will not be able to eat as much as you did before the operation. The total complication rate after this surgery is less than 1 % which is the same as any other surgery like a gall bladder or a hip replacement surgery.

You will lose up to 85% of your excess weight after a gastric bypass. Weight loss is the fastest in the first 3 months and the rate reduces thereafter. You will continue to lose weight for a year and a half until 2 years. You will lose about 85% of your excess weight. After that, the body stabilizes and does not lose weight further. However exercise may help you lose the rest.

It takes about an hour and a half to perform.

You will need to be hospitalized for 1 night and 2 days.

In 99% of the cases ICU admission is not required at CODS.

There will be 6 small cuts on your tummy. The largest cut is about 1 cm. These marks will fade away over time.

No. We encourage you to walk on the same evening of the surgery. We would want you to be active and mobile as it reduces the risk for deep vein thrombosis.

You may return to work within a week. It depends on your comfort level, most patients resume work within 4-5 days while few others prefer to take up to 10 days’ rest.

It is not advisable to smoke and drink after the surgery. Smoking must be STRICTLY avoided as it could lead to development of ulcers at the gastro jejunostomy site that could lead to bleeding and could be fatal at times.

No. However you need to be careful with the liquid calorie intake.

You will need to be on a liquid diet for 15 days after the surgery. This is followed by 15 days of semisolid foods and then you progress onto solids. Within 2 to 3 months you can have most kinds of food although in limited quantities.
Please note that sweet intake should be kept to a minimum since it could lead to ‘dumping syndrome’
Gastric bypass patients also require a lifetime of nutritional supplementation.

Dumping syndrome can occur in some patients after Roux en y Gastric Bypass. It occurs as a result of food passing too quickly into the intestine. It typically occurs when patients eat certain kind of foods such as sweets or certain carbohydrate sources. It can also occur due to eating too much at a time. The symptoms of dumping syndrome are:

• Nausea or queasiness
• A sense of fullness accompanied by discomfort
• Cramping
• Diarrhea
• General weakness
• Profuse sweating
• Vomiting
• Palpitations

Treatment is to keep a note of problem foods and avoid their intake. Dumping syndrome often improves on its own without medical treatment or after adjusting your diet.

Gastric bypass patients require a lifetime of nutritional supplementation. If you follow the instructions of the nutritionist and continue to take supplements regularly, you will not develop nutritional deficiencies.

Oral contraceptives should be discontinued 7 days prior to surgery as they elevate the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Consumption can be resumed 7days post-surgery.

Yes you can. However we recommend that you conceive 12-18 months after surgery. The period of weight loss (catabolic phase) is not good for the baby's nutritional status. Our gynaecologists will guide you through the pregnancy.