Gastric bypass surgery with Norton Weight Management Services offers patients in Louisville and Southern Indiana support before and after your procedure to help you succeed.

Also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the procedure long has been considered the gold standard for weight loss surgery.

Whenever possible, our board-certified surgeons perform this procedure laparoscopically through a small incision. This often means less pain and scarring, fewer complications and faster recovery after surgery.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass may not be appropriate for every patient. Patients with a very high body mass index (BMI) or who have had extensive previous abdominal surgery may require traditional open surgery. Safety, not incision size, is the most important concern during this operation.

What Is Gastric Bypass?

There are two components to gastric bypass surgery:

• First, the stomach is divided, very close to its top, leaving a small pouch about the size of an egg.
• Second, the small bowel is divided. One end is reconnected where it enters the large bowel. The other end of the small bowel is then sewn to the stomach. After the operation, food comes down the esophagus into a tiny stomach pouch and then passes directly down to meet the digestive juices. The procedure helps patients lose weight by doing two things:
  • Decreasing the volume of food that can be consumed (There is only a small pouch of stomach that remains, meaning patients can eat very little and feel very full.)
  • Limiting nutrients from being absorbed into the body

Gastric Bypass Weight Loss

Generally, patients lose around 70% of their excess weight after gastric bypass surgery. The procedure has been in use for more than 30 years and has proved to be a reliable solution for major weight loss.

Individual weight loss results will vary. As with all weight loss procedures, participation in a support network is vital to your success. Patients who join Norton Weight Management Services’ monthly support groups and keep in contact with program staff report higher rates of success.

You’ll also have the support of a dedicated team — including bariatric nurses, behavioral health specialists, registered dietitians and more — to help you enjoy lifelong success.

Like sleeve gastrectomy, the procedure offers faster results compared with gastric band surgery, although it is more invasive.

Potential Complications

All surgeries come with risks of potential complications — ranging from minor to severe. Gastric bypass surgery is associated with more potential complications than gastric band surgery, and many of them can be severe. However, fewer than 1% of patients experience severe complications with this surgery. Talk with your physician about all the potential risks and complications from gastric bypass surgery, which may include:

• Bleeding – can be mild, moderate or heavy
• Death – 1% to 2% risk
• Heart attack – occurs when the heart does not get enough blood
• Hernia – a bulge at the incision site
• Leakage where the staples were placed
• Pulmonary embolism – a blood clot that travels to the lungs
• Stricture – abnormal tightening where the stomach and intestine are sewn together
• Stroke – occurs when the brain does not get enough blood
• Wound infection – especially with a traditional open incision

Gastric Bypass Cost

Many insurance plans cover all or part of gastric bypass surgery. The gastric bypass cost for uninsured patients is approximately $23,000, including hospital, physician, anesthesiology and radiology services. If additional care is required for any complications, additional charges may apply.

Start Your Journey With a Free Seminar

If you’re considering life-changing weight loss surgery, be sure to join us for a free informational session. A bariatric surgeon will help explore your options, answer any questions and see if we can help you start feeling and living your best.

Why Norton Weight Management Services?

No health system in Louisville or Southern Indiana has been providing weight loss surgery and medical weight loss care longer than Norton Weight Management Services.

• Norton Weight Management Services is recognized for superior care by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital is designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ by Anthem for expertise and efficiency in bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery). These designations may be a requirement of your health insurance provider.
• We are experienced with a full range of the latest weight loss surgery options, including gastric bypass, gastric banding and gastric sleeve.
• Our weight loss services include guidance through the life-changing process and support through your lifelong commitment to health.
• Our board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeons perform more than 500 procedures each year.
• We typically use minimally invasive procedures, meaning most patients have just a few small incisions and may experience less pain, fewer complications and faster recovery.
• Our comprehensive approach means you’ll be connected with the Norton Healthcare system — the largest in Louisville and Southern Indiana.
• Our providers put you first with educational seminars, support groups, presurgical visits and testing, spacious patient rooms, a demonstration kitchen, and more at our Dupont Road location.
• Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital is recognized for superior care by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. It is also designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ by Anthem for expertise and efficiency in bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery). These designations may be a requirement of your health insurance provider.