Weight Loss Surgery is a treatment option suitable for some persons with obesity. If you have a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 40, or a life-threatening obesity-related health problem such as diabetes, severe sleep apnea, or heart disease and a BMI of 35 or more , this may be an option for you. You and your doctor must work together to determine if you would benefit from obesity surgery, which is a major operation that can change your life in many ways.

The health risks associated with obesity can make Gastric Bypass surgery and other weight loss surgeries a viable weight loss option. While any surgery has its risks, there are times when the health implications out weigh the risk associated with surgery.

There are basically two types of bariatric surgery performed today:

1. Restrictive Surgery - Food intake is restricted using bands or staples to create a "stomach pouch" near the top of the stomach. A small opening is left at the bottom. Food stays in the pouch making you feel full for much longer.
   
   Restrictive Surgeries:
   -- Lap-Band (Laparoscopic Gastric Banding), is a less invasive procedure in which smaller incisions are made to apply the band. The band is inflatable and can be adjusted over time. This was approved by the FDA in 2001.
   -- Gastric Banding, involves the use of a band to create the stomach pouch.
   -- Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (VBG) only involves surgically creating a stomach pouch. VBG uses bands and staples and is the most frequently performed procedure for obesity surgery.
   
   
2. Restrictive and Malabsorptive Surgery Combination - Gastric bypass surgery is used in combination with restrictive surgery. Bypass surgery is done by connecting the stomach to the jejunum or ileum of the small intestine, bypassing the duodenum.
   
   -- Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RGB) is the second most frequently performed surgery for obesity after VBG and the most commonly performed gastric bypass procedure. A Y-shaped direct connection is made from the ileum or jejunum to the stomach pouch for malabsorption. The longer the segment of small intestine bypassed, the greater the malabsorption will be and the greater the weight loss. “Long Limb Gastric Bypass” is a gastric bypass with an extensive segment of small bowel bypassed.
   -- Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD) sometimes involves the removal of a portion of the stomach and is one of the most complicated of the current operative procedures in obesity surgery. The remaining section of the stomach is connected to the ileum. BPD is typically used for persons with severe obesity who have a BMI of 50 or more.

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