Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a type of weight loss surgery that involves creating a small stomach pouch and rerouting the digestive system to bypass a portion of the small intestine. 

Following RYGB surgery, patients typically experience significant weight loss over the course of several months to a year. Along with weight loss, many patients also experience improvements in obesity-related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnoea.

The surgeon first divides the stomach into two sections, a small upper punch and a larger lower portion. The upper pouch, which is roughly the size of a walnut, becomes a new stomach, while the rest of the stomach is permanently separated from the digestive tract. The surgeon then creates a new connection or bypass from the upper stomach pouch directly to the small intestine. This bypass reroutes food away from the majority of the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine, and instead connects the stomach pouch directly to the middle portion of the small intestine. Risk factors regarding the surgery will be discussed at consultation with your doctor