There are two types of gastric bypass commonly performed in Australia:
1. Roux-en-Y Gastric bypass (RnY)
2. Mini Gastric bypass (also known as the ‘Omega Loop’ or ‘Single-Anastomosis bypass’ )
Historically the RnY bypass has been performed extensively overseas and often considered the ”standard” bypass as it has been well studied for decades. However the Mini Gastric Bypass has been gaining popularity as a simplified form of gastric bypass with fewer surgical complications and equally effective weight loss.
There is healthy debate as to which form of bypass is the best for patients. Gastric bypass has the highest weight loss statistically with excellent outcomes particularly for type 2 diabetics. Excess weight loss is excellent with many studies reporting 80-90% of excess weight loss at 2 years. Improvement in common health issues such as high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, joint pain and chronic tiredness is very likely.
However, with the use of the bowel to achieve greater weight loss comes a small possibility of nutritional deficiencies and so long term follow-up of gastric bypass patients is vital to prevent secondary complications, such as iron deficiency and osteoporosis. At SBC there is a strong emphasis placed on long term follow-up. We have highly qualified Dietitians who are very experienced with the nutritional requirements of Bariatric patients. We have regular and long term medical, nursing and allied health care for our patients.
At Sydney Bariatric Clinic both types of bypass are offered and your surgeon will be able to go through the pros and cons of each.