Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery can have great benefits, but as with any surgery, not without risks. Morbid obesity also has great health risks, and no benefits that we know of. When a person is morbidly obese, many times they are unhappy, suffer with various illnesses, and their joints just won't support them any longer! These are some of the reasons and health problems that sends many in quest of Gastric Bypass procedures as the solution.

We would like to point out that in seeking out Gastric Bypass, you are looking at a serious solution to your weight control and in many instances, the only one left to you. All surgical procedures have risks, and that should be your primary reason to seek out a surgeon who specializes in thoracic areas and advanced laparoscopic techniques. An experienced laparoscopic surgeon can guide you to making the right decision for your situation, choose one who has an outstanding track record for success..To make an informed decision ask your surgeon about whatever risks and complications that could arise. Dr. Katkhouda routinely performs laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery and roux-en-y gastric bypass surgeryBand. View Risks.


Obesity around the middle signifies a growing health risk for both men and women. This weight around the middle has been newly named as responsible for Insulin Resistance. Insulin is necessary to move glucose into muscle cells to use as energy. When you become Insulin Resistant, as usually evidenced by excess weight around your middle, you lose your ability to use insulin for its' intended purpose. Weight then becomes a real problem and morbid obesity is not far behind. This condition can lead to Adult Onset Diabetes, stroke, heart failure, high cholesterol, sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea, gout, osteoarthritis and the list goes on.

Weighing too much may increase your risk for developing many health problems. If you are overweight or obese on a body mass index (BMI) calculate your body fat you may be at risk for:

• Type 2 diabetes Among people diagnosed with type 2 (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes, 67 percent have a BMI > 27 and 46 percent have a BMI > 30.[14] About 17 million people in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes, accounting for more than 90 percent of diabetes cases.[15] An additional 20 million have impaired glucose tolerance, sometimes called pre-diabetes, which is a strong risk factor for developing diabetes later in life. An estimated 70 percent of diabetes risk in the U.S. can be attributed to excess weight.
• Heart disease and stroke. Heart disease means that the heart and circulation (blood flow) are not functioning normally. If you have heart disease, you may suffer from a heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina (chest pain), or abnormal heart rhythm. During a stroke, blood and oxygen do not flow normally to the brain, possibly causing paralysis or death. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and stroke is the third leading cause.
• Cancer - Being overweight may increase the risk of developing several types of cancer, including cancers of the colon, esophagus, and kidney. Overweight is also linked with uterine and postmenopausal breast cancer in women. Gaining weight during adult life increases the risk for several of these cancers. Being overweight also may increase the risk of dying from some cancers. It is not known exactly how being overweight increases cancer risk. It may be that fat cells make hormones that affect cell growth and lead to cancer. Also, eating or physical activity habits that may lead to being overweight may also contribute to cancer risk.
• Sleep apnea - The risk for sleep apnea is higher for people who are overweight. A person who is overweight may have more fat stored around his or her neck. This may make the airway smaller. A smaller airway can make breathing difficult, loud (snoring), or stop altogether. In addition, fat stored in the neck and throughout the body can produce substances that cause inflammation. Inflammation in the neck may be a risk factor for sleep apnea.
• Osteoarthritis is a common joint disorder. With osteoarthritis, the joint bone and cartilage (tissue that protects joints) wear away. Osteoarthritis most often affects the joints of the knees, hips, and lower back.
• Gallbladder disease, People who are overweight have a higher risk for developing gallbladder disease and gallstones. They may produce more cholesterol, a risk factor for gallstones. Also, people who are overweight may have an enlarged gallbladder, which may not work properly.
• Fatty liver disease occurs when fat builds up in the liver cells and causes injury and inflammation in the liver. It can sometimes lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis (build-up of scar tissue that blocks proper blood flow in the liver), or even liver failure. Fatty liver disease is like alcoholic liver damage, but it is not caused by alcohol and can occur in people who drink little or no alcohol. 

Obesity is also associated with: high blood cholesterol, complications of pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair), stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by weak pelvic-floor muscles),
psychological disorders such as depression and increased surgical risk 

You can lower your health risks by losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds.


Surgical Risks

All surgical procedures have risks, and that should be your primary reason to seek out a surgeon who specializes in thoracic areas and laparoscopic techniques. To make an informed decision ask your surgeon about whatever risks and complications that could arise. Dr. Katkhouda routinely performs Lap Band and RGB surgeries.

Laparoscopic gastric banding (Lap-Band). An inflatable band is placed around the upper stomach to create a small pouch and narrow passage into the remainder of the stomach. This limits food consumption and creates an earlier feeling of fullness. Once the band is in place, it is inflated with saline. The band is adjusted over time by increasing or decreasing the amount of salt solution to change the size of the passage. The band is intended for severely obese people — those at least 100 pounds overweight or who are at least twice their ideal body weight — who have failed to lose weight by other methods such as a supervised diet and exercise. The band is intended to remain in place permanently, but it can be removed if necessary. People who get the band will need to diet and exercise in order to maintain their weight loss. Complications may include nausea and vomiting, heartburn, abdominal pain, band slippage, or pouch enlargement.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RGB). The surgeon makes the stomach smaller by using surgical staples to create a small stomach pouch. The pouch is attached to the middle part of a small intestine. Food bypasses the upper part of the small intestine and stomach and goes into the middle part of the small intestine through a small opening. Bypassing the stomach limits the amount of food a person can eat. By bypassing part of the intestine, the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs is reduced. The small opening slows down the rate food leaves the pouch. One risk for patients is "dumping syndrome." This happens when the stomach contents move too rapidly through the small intestine. Symptoms may include nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness, and diarrhea after eating. Side effects include infection, leaking, pulmonary embolism (sudden blockage in a lung artery), gallstones, and nutritional deficiency.

One of the most common risks of restrictive operations is vomiting, which occurs when the patient eats too much or the narrow passage into the larger part of the stomach is blocked. Another is slippage or wearing away of the band. This can cause the salt solution to leak, requiring another operation to repair. Some patients experience infections and bleeding, although restrictive operations are the safest of the bariatric procedures, they still carry risk—in less than 1 percent of all cases, complications can result in death.

Calculate Body Mass