Gastric Bypass is indicated for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. Morbid obesity is a medical condition wherein a person is seriously obese, has been unable to achieve satisfactory and sustained weight loss by dietary efforts, and is suffering from co-morbid conditions which are either life-threatening or a serious impairment to the quality of life. Co-morbid conditions include: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallbladder disease, liver disease, venous thromboembolic disease and osteoarthritis of the spine (spondylosis), knees and hips.


Indications for gastric bypass surgery are:


1. Having a Body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 or,


2. Having a BMI greater than 35 but accompanied by one or more of obesity’s co-morbid conditions.





Your husband’s BMI is 50 and he is much likely a candidate for gastric bypass surgery. But the final recommendation for gastric bypass surgery has to be given by a team of doctors that includes surgeons and internists. Gastric bypass surgery is one of the most efficient methods for treating morbid obesity.


Like in any abdominal surgical intervention there are always some risks for complications including death. The risks that a person develop a surgical complication from this surgery are around 10%. Complications include those that are present in any other abdominal operation... but there are also some complications specific only to this type of surgical intervention. The risk of death after this surgery is 0.2% but it is due not only to the surgical intervention itself but also to the pre-existing co-morbid conditions.