The end goal of gastric bypass surgery is to limit the amount of food patients will be able to eat and digest. The stomach is divided into two separate pouches. The smaller pouch stores and digests food. The surgeon connects the small intestine to a hole in the smaller pouch.
Once the procedure is complete, patients are going to feel full much more quickly, so they are going to eat a lot less food at each meal. This can result in significant weight loss in a relatively short amount of time.
Gastric Banding Surgery
While many patients undergo gastric bypass, some undergo gastric banding. The surgeon inserts an inflatable band around the upper part of your stomach. This shrinks the area of the stomach that can store and digest food.