Gastric bypass is a group of procedures meant to help individuals lose weight. They are usually only recommended to people in the “morbidly obese” range, according to their BMI. Gastric bypass turns the stomach into a small pouch and a large pouch. Food is directed to the small pouch, so that the patient ends up eating less overall. It is has been shown to be very successful in helping people lose weight and keep it off, as well as providing a wealth of other benefits.
There are a wide range of benefits for patients who choose to get any one of the gastric bypass procedures available. Here are some of the top benefits:
Fast Recovery – With multiple types of gastric bypass, patients can choose a faster recovery procedure, called a laparoscopic gastric bypass. This is a minimally invasive procedure that gets them back to work in as little as 2-3 weeks.
Longer Life Expectancy – Many studies have been performed to show that gastric bypass helps people live longer. This is due to helping treat life-threatening diseases and conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, cancer, hypertension, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases.
Successful Weight Loss – One of the greatest benefits of gastric bypass is that it helps patients not just lose weight, but keep it off. Many of the bypass patients have tried losing weight on their own, but were unsuccessful. According to a 15-year study performed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, about 41.5 percent of patients had excessive weight loss and kept it off for 15 years.
The overall quality of life is perhaps the best benefit of getting gastric bypass surgery. By losing weight, patients gain confidence, they have a longer lifespan, and they feel healthier both mentally and physically. This has increased the patient’s quality of life in nearly every aspect of their personal and professional life.
There are a variety of surgical procedures that patients can choose from within gastric bypass. They have access to many benefits by choosing this method of weight loss surgery.