Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is one type of proven weight loss surgery that we offer. In this procedure, your surgeon uses a small part of the stomach to create a new stomach pouch, which is about the size of an egg. Your new, smaller stomach is connected directly to the middle portion of the small intestine, so it bypasses the rest of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine.

What to Expect

During surgery, your surgeon creates a small pouch from the top of the stomach and makes a bypass so food skips part of the small intestine. Following the surgery, you will need to supplement your diet with additional vitamins and minerals to compensate for those that will no longer be absorbed by your body.

Typically, hospital stays after surgery are between one and three days. After you leave the hospital, you should be able to take care of your personal needs but will require help with other tasks, such as driving or lifting.

Generally, you can expect to take two to four weeks off work or school after surgery. During that time, your focus will be on establishing healthy eating and drinking habits. You should be back to regular activities within three to five weeks.

Who is a Candidate?

To be eligible for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a history of trying other diet methods unsuccessfully, including medically supervised dieting
• Have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more (100 pounds or more overweight), or have a BMI of 35 with two or more weight-related conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure

Why Choose UHealth?

Award-winning, experienced care. Our bariatric team is comprised of experienced professionals who are experts in the field of weight loss and weight loss surgery. In fact, we are the only facility in Miami-Dade County to have received the Healthgrades® Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award and the Excellence Award. We understand the unique challenges of people working hard to lose weight and get healthier. Therefore, we use a “whole person” approach to weight loss — working to address your emotional, behavioral, and psychological needs.