Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery in Turkey

Mini gastric bypass surgery is an alternative to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, and it has become more common in recent years. Although mini gastric bypass surgery is easier to perform than RYGB, the outcomes are similar. It involves separating the stomach into two parts using a specialized device. With mini gastric bypass surgery, the volume of the stomach that receives food is approximately 80 milliliters. The small intestine is connected to the new stomach between the 150th and 200th centimeters. Mini gastric bypass surgery also results in less hunger and a fuller feeling with less food. Mini gastric bypass surgery can be chosen specifically for patients with type 2 diabetes, a high BMI, or a tendency to overeat sweets.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Mini Gastric Bypass (Mini Sleeve Gastrectomy) Surgery?

It can be applied to all morbidly obese patients between the ages of 18 and 65 with a body mass index above 35, especially those with diseases such as hypertension and diabetes and whose diet is not suitable for sleeve gastrectomy. Apart from this, it can also be preferred as a correction surgery for patients who have previously undergone sleeve gastrectomy surgery but have gained weight again afterwards.

How Is Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery Performed?

The mini gastric bypass is a weight-loss surgery that reduces stomach size and is malabsorptive, meaning it prevents the absorption of nutrients from part of the small intestine. It is performed laparoscopically, without making large incisions in the abdomen. Mini gastric bypass surgery includes 5 to 6 incisions, each no larger than 1 centimeter. Specialized devices and a camera designed precisely for this size of incision are inserted through them. Then the entry of the stomach is cut and dissected from the rest of the stomach to create a tube-shaped stomach. This tube-shaped stomach is the new stomach for the patient. The remaining part of the stomach remains inside of the abdomen and continues to release its hormones.

The second part of the mini gastric bypass surgery begins with connecting the new smaller stomach to the small intestine to direct food into the digestive system. The new stomach is connected to the small intestine approximately two meters in, close to the middle of the small intestine.

Is Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery Safe? 

The mini gastric bypass is a procedure in which the stomach is connected to a more distal part of the small intestine. This surgical technique is known as the Billroth II anastomosis and has been performed for over 100 years for various medical reasons and considered a safe weight loss method. According to a study by Collins, there are 1,490 published articles related to gastric surgeries involving Billroth II anastomosis (Collins,2007).

(Collins BJ, Miyashita T, Schweitzer M, Magnuson T, Harmon JW, Gastric Bypass; Why Roux-en-Y? A Review of Experiential Data, Arch Surg. 2007; 142(10):1000-1003)