Gastric Bypass Surgery: Pros and Cons

A large portion of the American population either is overweight, or in some cases, may be obese. There are many ways in which a person can fight obesity, but there are only a few successful treatments that help someone achieve a healthy weight in a relatively short time. These treatments are bariatric surgeries, and they are specific procedures that treat obese individuals. One such procedure is called Gastric Bypass. The goal of this surgery is to produce weight loss by limiting the amount of food a person is capable of consuming. There are many negative aspects of Gastric Bypass, which include the cost, bad side effects, and postoperative hospitalizations; however, tremendous weight loss, the impact on other diseases, and a higher self-esteem are all positive results that Gastric Bypass can have.

In the Gastric Bypass procedure, a small pouch of the stomach is created by separating it from the rest of the stomach. This is done by using staples. After surgery when the patient eats, the small pouch acts as the patient's whole stomach (Steinbrook 1075). Since the pouch is small, the amount of food the patient is able to eat is small. The patient will then be eating less food after the surgery which helps to produce weight loss.

One of the downsides to this operation is the cost. Typically, gastric bypass surgeries range from about $20,000 to $50,000, depending on the type of health care company that the patient has (Steinbrook 1075). A major factor that depends on if a health insurance company will cover the surgery is the patient's medical condition. If the patient has many other health risks and problems besides obesity, than the patient's chance of getting approved for the operation is low. Frequently, obese patients do have more than one type of health problem, so this limits the accessibility of gastric bypass to certain patients.