Laparoscopic Mini Gastric Bypass – drfuadahmed

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What is Laparoscopic Mini Gastric Bypass (MGB)?

MGB is a form of weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery) where the stomach is separated into a larger and a smaller portion through stapling, and the smaller part only is used while the larger part remains unutilized. In addition, part of the small intestine is “bypassed” – hence the name – so that the entire digestive tract becomes smaller. This means you would need to consume less food to be full, and you would start losing weight. Unlike traditional bypass surgery where the larger part of the stomach is removed entirely, MGB keeps that part inside your body (unused) which means the procedure not only takes a shorter time but can be reversed at any time if need be.

What Does “Laparoscopic” mean?

A laparoscopic approach to surgery means using 3 tiny incisions to do the surgery (two 5 mm in length, and one 12 mm in length), as opposed to the regular approach where a large incision is made in your abdomen. The surgeon would use a specialized thin long telescope to which a camera is connected known as the Laparoscope together with some very small surgical instruments to reach the surgical area without opening up your belly too much. This means less scarring as most of these incisions are hidden, less pain during the post-operative recovery period, and fewer surgical complications. It is the approach of choice for most bariatric surgeries.

Do I Need MGB surgery?

Bariatric surgeries are indicated for people with extreme obesity who have failed to lose weight using a diet and regular exercise. Obesity is identified by using a metric known as the body mass index (BMI) which is the ratio of your weight to your height. A BMI of over 30 is considered obese, 35 to 39 is considered severe obesity, while over 40 is considered morbid obesity, where your weight would art to affect your health. MGB is indicated for people whose BMI is over 35, and who may also suffer from some metabolic disorders that originated from being overweight such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. A BMI of over 40 means you are a direct candidate for MGB even if your general health isn’t affected.

How is MGB Done?

Once you’re anesthetized, the surgeon will use the laparoscope with the small surgical instruments to first staple the larger part of the stomach rendering it useless, converting the usable part into the shape of a tube. Next, he would bypass the duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine) and connect the newly formed tube to a more distal part of the small intestine, making the entire digestive tract a lot smaller. The entire process takes around 2 hours, and you’ll probably remain in the hospital for about 1 to 2 days.

Life After MGB

MGB effects work very rapidly. In fact, most people who undergo this surgery end up losing 5 to 10 kilograms a month during the first year. While that sounds great, it also comes with a few restrictions to your lifestyle afterward. Therefore, we recommend you follow the following steps to minimize risks and gain the most out of your procedure:
· The rapid drop in body weight can sometime cause a few unwanted but completely expected side effects during the first 6 months of surgery. These include body aches, hair loss, mood changes, dry skin, and constantly feeling tired. All you need to do is support yourself both physically and mentally, and know this is a temporary phase that will pass very soon.
· Dumping syndrome – where the food rich in sugar is rapidly “dumped” from the stomach to the small intestine – is very common with MGB, which could lead to cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, so make sure you avoid high sugar-containing foods.
· For 2 weeks after the surgery, you would be limited to a liquid diet, and would gradually transition to pureed food, soft food, and then regular food in about 1 month. Do not rush the process of returning to hard foods so as not to risk nausea and vomiting.
· Eat very slowly and chew your food very well, since your smaller stomach does not have the same capacity for digestion as it used to.
· A smaller stomach means consuming less food and therefore less intake of nutrients. This means 2 things:
o You’ll have to take multivitamins to meet your daily requirements as prescribed by your doctor.
o You would need to do blood tests every 3 months to make sure you don’t suffer from anemia or vitamin deficiency.
· To avoid muscle wasting (which means weakening of your muscles due to loss of muscle fibers), you would need to not only take protein supplements, but specialized exercise to make sure you keep your muscle mass and strength.
· The results of the surgery are usually permanent. However, it is possible you would start gaining back some of the weight you lost after a few years. To avoid that, make sure you follow a proper diet designed specifically for your case and keep exercising regularly.

Some Other Life Changes to Consider

MGB and other bariatric surgeries affect every aspect of your life, so you would need to change some of your lifestyle choices to cope with the effects of the procedure. These include smoking, drinking alcohol, and some medications such as ibuprofen, Voltaren and Aspirin which will all need to be used with moderation.
In addition, not only will you change physically, but it can be hard for some people to cope mentally with the changes of the procedure, especially with the visible signs such as hair loss and dry skin as we mentioned before. Should you feel overwhelmed at any point, there is absolutely no shame in seeking help whether professional or through support groups, family, and friends.

Is MGB the Only Option for Weight Loss?

As we mentioned, MGB is indicated mainly for people with BMI between 35 and 40. However, there are other bariatric surgeries to choose from which can be better for your case. Make sure to ask your surgeon about laparoscopic gastric banding, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, roux-en-Y gastric bypass, or laparoscopic transit bipartition

If you need any more information about the procedure or the follow-up aftercare period,
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