What is Bariatrics?

There are a number of operations devised to help people lose weight and keep it off. The procedure we use at UTMB’s Center for Weight Management is the Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass procedure (see illustration at right). Evidence indicates that this is a safer and more effective method for sustained weight loss than other surgical options.

Gastric bypass involves partitioning the stomach so that swallowed food quickly fills a very small stomach “pouch”. This pouch is designed to initially hold less than an ounce. A segment of the small intestine (called the jejunum) is then connected to this small pouch through a very small opening (called an anastomosis) in an arrangement that surgeons have termed “Roux-en-y”. These surgical changes physically restrict food intake and limit the sensation of hunger.

Food fills the small pouch quickly and stretches the walls. Stretch receptors in the walls send a signal to the brain to turn off the hunger sensation. The very small opening between the stomach pouch and the small intestine limits how fast the pouch can empty. Thus, you feel full after ingesting only a small amount of food or liquid and stay full longer. Finally, the connection of the jejunum to the pouch can prevent the digestion of certain high-caloric (carbohydrate) foods.

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