Gastric bypass surgery is a procedure that is done on human or animal stomachs to subdivide it into 2 sections. The portions comprise of two pouches, the upper and lower. The upper division is normally very small compared to the lower one. Gastric bypass surgery in Mexico is comprised of several variations. The variations come about due to different methods through which the stomach portions are relinked to the intestines.

Any of gastric bypass surgical procedure leads to a significant reduction in the volume of stomach that is functional. The reduction is also accompanied by modifications in physical and physiological reaction to food. This operation is recommended for patients suffering from a number of conditions. The major conditions for which this prescription is commonly suggested are sleep apnea, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and morbid obesity. Prescription is made for morbid obesity when the body mass index is greater than 40.

The procedure has several variations including Roux en Y distal and proximal and MGB. Among the three variations, Roux en Y proximal is practiced more. In the United States, this is the most commonly practiced bariatric surgery too. The intestines are sub-divided at about 45 centimeters under the lower outlet of stomach. The process is given the name because the intestine is made into a Y arrangement afterwards.

The Y arrangement is made out of about 80 to 150 cm of small intestine. The remainder of the tube is left for use in absorbing nutrients into the body. After the process is done, the stomach of a patient feels full of food after taking little food. Afterwards in-difference to food and increasing satiety are felt. The absorption of fats, starches and other food nutrients is highly reduced.

This surgical procedure reduces the volume of the belly by more than 90 percent. Stretching of the pouches is avoided by constructing them from belly tissues that do not stretch like other stomach tissues. Although the pouches do not gain more volume by enlarging, the point of connection between stomachs and intestines may stretch with time.

There may be a slight increase in the volume of the belly after some time. Most increases in volume occur too late after most weight causing obesity has been lost already. In most cases also, only a reasonable weight level can be supported by the stretched bellies. There is sudden stretching of stomach walls upon ingesting a small quantity of food. The stretching causes the brain to receive signals that the belly is filled with food. This is the reason for the sensation of fullness of stomach even after eating little food.

To avoid causing discomfort or vomiting, meals should be taken slowly and carefully. For maximum efficiency of treatment, 5-6 meals should be taken daily. Snacks, confectionaries, or cookies should be avoided between meals because they can impede the efficiency of treatment.

The meals taken days after surgery should not exceed 0.25-0.5 of a cup. This amount should be increased slowly to a cup within one year. Obesity is known to recur if eating habits are not controlled well after undergoing the surgery.