LAPAROSCOPIC GASTRIC BYPASS

Course overview

GASTRIC BYPASS IS A COMMON OPERATION TO ASSIST PATIENTS WITH SEVERE OBESITY WITH WEIGHT LOSS. THIS SURGERY WAS TRADITIONALLY DONE WITH THE OPEN APPROACH, HOWEVER, THIS APPROACH WAS ASSOCIATED WITH INCIDENCES AS HIGH AS 20 PERCENT OF INCISIONAL HERNIAS AND WOUND COMPLICATIONS AS HIGH AS 8 PERCENT. THIS LED TO THE ADVENT OF THE LAPAROSCOPIC APPROACH TO IMPROVE POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOMES IN BARIATRIC PATIENTS. THE FIRST CASE SERIES OF LAPAROSCOPIC ROUX-EN-Y GASTRIC BYPASS (RYGB) WAS PRESENTED IN 1994 BY DRS. WITTGROVE AND CLARK. MUCH DATA HAS PROVEN THAT THE LAPAROSCOPIC APPROACH TO RYGB RESULTS IN DECREASED LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY, DECREASED INTRAOPERATIVE BLOOD LOSS, LESS POSTOPERATIVE PAIN, FEWER PULMONARY COMPLICATIONS, AND FEWER WOUND INFECTIONS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND COMPLICATIONS OF LAPAROSCOPIC GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH OBESITY.