James R. Barnes, M.D., and Stephanie W. Granger, M.D., who both recently joined the surgery staff at UAMS Medical Center, performed the operation. Most patients loose half of the weight during the first couple of months. Then it levels off. Gastric bypass surgery has been performed for many years and has served as a valuable medical procedure for morbid obesity, usually defined as more than 100 pounds over ideal body weight. Morbid obesity is the most common nutritional disorder affecting Americans, and physicians estimate one-third of Americans fit that category.
Laparoscopic surgery involves the use of fiber-optic tubes called laparoscopes.
It is a minimally invasive way to treat various disorders within the abdominal cavity. The hospital stay for traditional open gastric bypass surgery is normally about four days, and the patient usually cannot return to work for a month. In contrast, the laparoscopic version requires only a two-day hospital stay, and the patient can usually return to work within a week or two. A voice-activated, computerized system regulates the lighting, temperature, operating table, and telephones. It will serve as a teaching area where surgeons throughout the country will come to learn these complex procedures.