Gastro-jejunal bypass (2). Unfolding of the operation:
Some pre-operative exams are necessary, sometimes on the request of the anaesthesiologist, such as cardiac and respiratory function tests, blood sample analysis, abdomen ultrasound, upper GI endoscopy.
The operation lasts 2 hours and is performed under general anaesthesia.Post-operative pain is healed with pain-killers. Eating starts progressively under the liquid and semi-liquid form. Hospital stay ranges from 2 to 7 days, depending of health care system and the patient's condition. An upper GI X-Ray control is useful before discharge.
The laparoscopic approach is possible in most cases, carried out through small incisions. Post-op recovery is then accelerated, less painful and there are no major scars.Laparoscopy is currently the leading surgical approach for a lot of operations on the abdomen: appendectomy, cholecystectomy... and gastric banding! It makes use of a video-camera and small instruments.
A standard diet is proposed, based on small amounts of food, 4 or 5 times a day.Generally, post-operative eating is deemed more confortable than after lap-banding, with less vomiting and less restriction on solid food (meat).
Risks and adverse effects: Immediate post-op risks are higher than in other restrictive operations such as lap-banding, owing to a greater complexity: embolism, bleeding, abscess... There are several digestive sewings or staplings, entailing a specific risk of leakage (2 to 3%), and bleeding (2%). The mortality rate is currently 2 to 5 per 1000 (against 1 per 1000 in lap-banding).