Gastric bypass is a type of bariatric or weight loss surgery often recommended to obese people whose excess weight is causing serious health problems. Bariatric surgery may also be appropriate for individuals who have been unable to lose weight using non-surgical methods.
The goal of bariatric surgery is to reduce the body's ability to absorb and store calories. Mounting evidence shows bariatric surgery may be one of the most effective treatments for obesity and its related diseases.
Gastric bypass permanently reduces stomach size and reroutes the digestive tract. During this procedure, your surgeon divides your stomach to create a new, smaller stomach. The new stomach is connected to the small intestine and bypasses the larger part of your original stomach. Your new stomach is now much smaller and holds a smaller amount of food than previously.
Inova's state-of-the-art da Vinci® robotic surgical system is a tool that allows your doctor to perform a gastric bypass through a few small incisions. The surgical instrumentation also provides enhanced vision, dexterity, control and precision.
Benefits of robotic-assisted surgery over open surgery include:
- Significantly less pain
- Less blood loss
- Fewer complications
- Less scarring
- A shorter hospital stay
- A faster return to normal daily activities
Minimally invasive surgery enables surgeons to operate on higher-BMI patients; the robotic platform, by providing surgeons with superior visualization and flexible instrumentation, can result in shorter procedures times and may offer reduced risk for serious complications.
Talk with your surgeon about whether robotic-assisted surgery is an option for you. Or call 1-855-My-Inova (1-855-694-6682) for a referral to one of our da Vinci robotic surgical specialists.