Is the mini gastric bypass a good alternative to Roux-en-Y? Maybe Not…
The mini gastric bypass procedure, also called the “Loop Gastric Bypass,” takes less time in the operating room than the more “traditional” Roux-en-Y procedure, and may have been designed to be used by less experienced surgeons.
Most insurance companies consider the mini gastric bypass to be “experimental” and won’t cover it because of its safety record and the higher number of complications that have been observed.
The mini gastric bypass is done using a laparoscopic technique that avoids large scars and cuts down on operating time. However, as this illustration shows, this is still a very drastic procedure.
The “mini” in mini gastric bypass may not mean what you think…
The mini gastric bypass is “mini” only because the incisions are small. The surgical changes are quite extensive. The procedure resembles the Billroth II procedure, a surgical treatment for stomach cancer.
Some medical experts believe the type of surgical connection used in the mini gastric bypass procedure can cause biliary reflux gastritis and other complications.
Why the mini gastric bypass is often considered an unsafe alternative to gastric bypass
Because of the many complications, mini gastric bypass has been abandoned by nearly all bariatric surgeons as unsafe. The American Society for Bariatric Surgery has determined that the procedure should never be performed.
The mini-bypass procedure creates a severe hazard in the event of any leakage after surgery. It also seriously increases the risk of ulcer formation, irritation of the stomach pouch by bile, and could increase the potential of esophageal cancer. Many persons who underwent this procedure in the past have required major surgery to correct severe discomfort and life-threatening effects.
At this time few surgeons perform the procedure.
The traditional The Roux-en-Y procedure can also be done laproscopically, which reduces the scarring and sometimes reduces the possibility of infection. If you are considering the mini gastric bypass surgery because you don’t want large scars, you might consider the Roux-en-Y instead of the less well-excepted mini gastric bypass.
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