Gastric Bypass in Los Angeles (LA)

What Is the Gastric Bypass Procedure?

The gastric bypass procedure is among the most popular of the bariatric surgery options available and has been performed since the 1960s. Many patients at Marina Del Rey Hospital choose the gastric bypass because it is a proven technique providing durable, long term weight loss.

The gastric bypass surgery has been improved and refined over time. The current technique, which is performed by Dr. Jeremy Korman, is called the “Roux-en-Y,”gastric bypass.— The gastric bypass surgery involves two main steps. First, the upper part of the stomach is stapled to create a small pouch, roughly the size of a golf ball. After this, a portion of the small intestine is attached to the pouch, “bypassing” a large portion of the stomach and the upper segment of the small intestine. This new stomach pouch allows patients to feel full after only a small amount of food, and because food travels a shorter distance through the small intestine, the body absorbs fewer calories.

Together, these changes allow for significant weight loss in patients who follow their prescribed postoperative diets and exercise routines.

How is Gastric Bypass Surgery Performed?

Dr. Korman and the team at Marina Del Rey Hospital perform gastric bypass surgery using laparoscopy. This means that instead of making a large abdominal incision, the surgeon makes small incisions, through which he inserts a camera and specially designed instruments. These instruments allow the surgeon to perform operations very precisely while causing much less trauma to the patient’s body. Laparoscopic technique allows for quicker recovery, lower chance of surgical complication, and less patient discomfort. For the operation, which takes place at our Marina Del Rey facility in greater Los Angeles, you will be placed under general anesthesia, meaning you will be fully unconscious during this stomach surgery. At Marina Weight Loss we only work with anesthesiologists experienced in the treatment of bariatric patients to ensure that the procedure is performed as safely as possible. Although it is possible to reverse the gastric bypass procedure, the revision surgery is very complex and is only considered if rare but serious complications occur.

Recovery Time After Gastric Bypass Surgery

Typically, gastric bypass surgery takes about two hours. You will awaken in a recovery room at Marina Del Rey Hospital, where our experienced medical team will ensure that everything is going smoothly.

From recovery, you will be taken to one of our private bariatric suites where you will rest and recover until it is time to go home. After a gastric bypass, you can expect to be in Marina Del Rey Hospital for one to two days.

Risks and Complications

As with any surgery, gastric bypass surgery has risks. Before choosing to have gastric bypass it is important to learn what risks can be associated with the procedure. Some possible risks associated with gastric bypass include:

• Nausea
• Strictures: narrowing of the surgical connections due to scar tissue
• Suture leaks: leaks at the staple lines
• Iron deficiency anemia: a decrease in the number of red blood cells
• Osteoporosis: thinning of bone tissue
• Ulcers
• Hernia

Before your gastric bypass procedure, the staff at Marina Del Rey Hospital will educate you fully on the risks and complication of the surgery. In many cases, patients find that the benefits outweigh the risks. This will be a decision you and your bariatric surgeon will make.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Costs

The costs of gastric bypass surgery can vary widely from region to region, as well as from patient to patient. The good news is that the gastric bypass surgery is widely covered by major insurance providers, including Blue Cross and Medicare, for those patients who meet the necessary criteria. The knowledgeable staff at Marina Weight Loss will help to determine your eligibility and insurance coverage for this procedure. We invite you to call today to speak with one of our representatives to obtain further information.

If insurance does not cover this procedure, our team members are experienced in helping patients explore payment options which are right for them, including affordable financing options. Contact us for more information.

While there are frequently costs associated with bariatric surgery, there is also a high cost to doing nothing. Increased medical costs, increased sick time, lost energy, health complications, decreased comfort, and lower life expectancy are all costs of ongoing obesity.

Dieting after Gastric Bypass Surgery

All patients will be provided with dietary guidelines to follow both before and after surgery. Your surgeon will specify what restrictions apply to eating and drinking before surgery. After the operation, you will gradually transition to eating normally, beginning with liquids and progressing gradually to solid food. As part of our preoperative educational process, both our nurse and our nutritionist will provide you with in depth information and resources to help you through this process. As with many weight loss surgeries, there may be some foods which you will have difficulty tolerating after gastric bypass surgery. As part of the patient education process, our bariatric nurse and nutritionist will review a list of potential problem foods as well as food which should generally be avoided as part of a healthy diet.

While healthy food choices are a key to success after weight loss surgery, you should not feel hungry or deprived. The long term goal is an adjustment in lifestyle which allows you to eat what you want, but in moderation. Working with the Marina Weight Loss’ nutritionist to determine the right diet for you is crucial to losing weight and keeping it off.

Gastric Bypass and Weight Loss Center

Marina Weight Loss has Los Angeles’ best surgical weight loss program, right here in Marina Del Rey. We would like for you to contact us at (310) 577-5540 to schedule a one-on-one appointment to find out more about gastric bypass surgery, our facility at Marina Del Rey Hospital, and what we offer to our patients.

Sources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_bypass_surgery
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007199.htm

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