One of the procedures available to help people with obesity is a gastric bypass in Tijuana, Mexico. It is recommended for those with a BMI of 40 and above who, despite diet and exercise, still fail to lose excess weight. People with a BMI of 35 may qualify if they suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes.

How is it done?

In the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the surgeon starts by creating a small pouch out of the stomach of the patient, which is then disconnected from the rest of the stomach and the part of the small intestine called the duodenum. After this, it is attached to the jejunum so that it will bypass the digestive system when food enters the body.

How does it help in weight loss?

Gastric bypass surgery promotes weight loss via restrictive and malabsorptive methods. First, it turns the stomach into a small pouch to limit the amount of food you can eat. This means you will feel full immediately even if you eat a much smaller amount of food than used to. Second, it alters how food passes through the digestive system to reduce the calories and nutrients your body absorbs.

Why choose gastric bypass?

Gastric bypass of the sleeve is more invasive than lap band surgery and sleeve surgery because it involves resizing the stomach and re-routing the digestive system. Because it has been done for more than 70 years, gastric bypass is considered the ‘gold standard’ or the point of reference for bariatric surgery. It has decades of history of success. So, you can rest assured that it is safe despite the gastric bypass complexity, especially if done by an experienced bariatric surgeon. Statistics also show that gastric bypass is superior to gastric sleeve surgery. It is 5%-15% more effective in helping patients lose excess weight.