Gastric Bypass Surgery

135 pounds lighter – Following weight-loss surgery, Phyllis Whymark of Bethlehem, Pa., went from wearing a size 28 to a size 6. Now she chooses foods wisely, a habit she’s instilling in her granddaughter, Faith.

Is your excess weight starting to cause serious health risks, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure? Has your doctor helped you make changes in diet and exercise, but you still can’t lose the weight? Then gastric bypass surgery at Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Weight Management Center might be for you. We are recognized for excellence in weight-loss surgery by the Bariatric Surgery Center Network Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons.

Gastric bypass surgery is very effective for patients who are morbidly obese. You can lose up to 80 percent of your body weight within five years. Our board-certified surgeons have performed more than 1,100 successful gastric bypass surgeries – the most common type of weight-loss surgery.

During gastric bypass surgery, your surgeon will reform your stomach to create a smaller stomach pouch. A section of the small intestine will attach directly to the pouch. This allows food to bypass a portion of the small intestine that absorbs calories and nutrients. Plus, you’ll feel fuller sooner and eat less because your stomach pouch holds less food.

Our surgeons perform the surgery through five or six small incisions instead of through one large incision. This means you’ll experience less pain and recover faster. The surgery takes between 90 and 180 minutes. You’ll be in the hospital for one to three days.

Our program provides you with education and support before and after surgery from the area’s only hospital-based medical weight-loss specialist (bariatrician). Nutrition classes prior to surgery are extremely important because after surgery, your stomach can only hold about 2 ounces. You’ll gradually re-learn how to eat, progressing from clear liquids, to soft foods, to solids.  

Like any major surgery, gastric bypass surgery has risks and potential complications. You have to balance those risks against your health risks from obesity. However, if you can make a life-long commitment to diet and exercise, gastric bypass surgery can help reduce or resolve serious health risks caused by obesity.

Gastric bypass surgery is right for you if…

• You are at least 100 pounds over your ideal weight
• Your body-mass index (BMI), a measurement of your body fat based on your height and weight, is 40 or above
• Your BMI is 35 and you have additional health risks, like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, severe or chronic back pain, sleep apnea, or acid reflux. To calculate your BMI, click here.
• You are at least 18 years old
• You do not use drugs or alcohol
• You are willing to take vitamins and minerals and participate in long-term follow-up care with our weight-loss team

Calculating your body mass index (BMI) can help you determine whether your weight may pose a risk to your health. Rather than looking just at your weight, BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. BMI is a good indicator of total body fat, which puts you at greater risk for health problems such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes.

See where you fall in the BMI scale:

If Your BMI is 40 or Above

At Lehigh Valley Hospital, eligibility for weight-loss surgery is based on body-mass index (BMI), a measurement of your body fat based on your height and weight. You qualify if your BMI is 40 or above, or if it’s 35 and you have additional health risks like heart disease or diabetes.

This page last updated 9/2/11 11:48 AM