Stomach Surgery

Gastric bypass surgeons, or bariatric surgeons, deal with patients who are usually morbidly obese and whose health is in great danger as a result of their problems with being overweight. With a quick fix to the world's weight problem gaining in popularity, gastric bypass surgeons are currently among the most demanded doctors.

Like other doctors, gastric bypass surgeons undergo undergraduate and medical training programs and then specialize in bariatrics, or the branch of medicine dealing with the treatment, causes, and prevention of obesity. With over 60% of America being obese and the number of those who are overweight reachingpandemic proportions, gastric bypass doctors have developed new, less invasive surgeries and alternatives to the traditional stomach stapling, as it is often referred to.

The gastric bypass surgeon would first encourage his or her patient to try other means of weight loss, such as restricting one's diet and increasing one's exercise, as surgery should be the last option for the patient. FDA-approved weightloss drugs are also another option that he or she may suggest as well. In a recent study, nearly 10-20% of patients who underwent the surgery had complications before leaving the hospital. Nonetheless, gastric bypass surgeons are highly skilled and highly paid for their services.

The median salary for most gastric bypass surgeons is in excess of $300,000 annually with the opportunity to increase as surgeons approach major metropolitan areas. They are often required to have extensice malpractice insurance, however, due to the graphic nature of their practice and the nearly-new procedures they perform.

Though gastric bypass surgeons have many procedures designed to reduce the area of the stomach, Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, or RGB, is the most common. The surgeon staples a portion of the stomach together by vertically banding the area. This allows for the body to feel full on less food, limiting the overall intake of the patient. A Y-shaped section of the small intestine is then rerouted into the pouch so that fewer calories are taken in by the patient. Such a surgery has a rapid rate of recovery with minimal invasiveness.

Among the most renowned gastric bypass surgeons is Dr. Auturo Rodriguez. After becoming a doctor for the Navy, Dr. Rodriquez developed the lap-band system in 1981 that is now widely used in the bariatric world. He continues to make improvements on his invention while also lecturing and demonstrating the procedure to doctors worldwide.