Weight loss surgery is the gold standard treatment for patients with obesity - not only does it cause significant weight loss but it cures and prevents serious medical conditions associated with obesity such as diabetes.
For years the gold standard operation for weight loss surgery has been the gastric bypass. This operation involves keyhole surgery to allow food to "bypass" part of the small intestine. Over the last decade a newer operation the gastric sleeve has increasingly been used as an alternative to the gastric bypass. This operation involves trimming the hormone- secreting part of the stomach causing appetite suppression and weight loss.
Although both operations are highly successful with low complications rates, each of these operations has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The mini gastric bypass is an operation designed to combine some of the best features of the sleeve and the bypass- it involves trimming the stomach and making a single join between the small intestine and the trimmed stomach. This operation has been associated with better weight loss and lower complications compared to the sleeve and bypass.
Although it has been performed in the US for many years, it is relatively new in the UK. After reviewing the technique and performing this operation routinely in his NHS practice, Professor Omar Khan, Consultant Bariatric Surgeon has successfully introduced this operation to Ashtead Hospital.
Professor Omar Khan commented:
"I am delighted to offer the mini bypass for our weight-loss patients at Ashtead Hospital. The mini- gastric bypass is an important addition to our surgical repetoire, ensuring our patients have access to the safest and widest range of surgical options for the management of obesity."