What is the procedure called when the stomach is stapled for weight loss?

The procedure where the stomach is stapled for weight loss is known as gastric bypass. In this surgical technique, a small pouch is created at the top of the stomach and it is then connected directly to the small intestine. This effectively reduces the size of the stomach and limits the amount of food that can be consumed at one time, thereby facilitating weight loss. Additionally, this procedure alters how the body absorbs nutrients, which also contributes to weight reduction.

Although there are other procedures related to weight loss and gastrointestinal health, such as the Roux-en-Y (which is a variation of gastric bypass), vagotomy (which involves cutting the vagus nerve to reduce stomach acid production), and fundoplication (often used for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease), they do not specifically involve stapling the stomach in the primary manner that gastric bypass does. Understanding gastric bypass as a staple-based procedure helps clarify its role in surgical weight management.