In a gastric bypass procedure, what happens to the lower part of the stomach that is bypassed?
The remnant stomach is left in place with intact blood supply. In some cases it may shrink a bit and its lining (the mucosa) may atrophy. But, for the most part, it remains unchanged. The remnant stomach still contributes to the function of the intestines even though it does not receive or process food – it makes intrinsic factor, necessary to absorb Vitamin B12 and contributes to hormone balance and motility of the intestines in ways that are not entirely known. It still functions in many of the parts of digestion that do not involve food passing through it. In the Sleeve procedure, a large portion of the stomach is completely removed. How big will my stomach pouch really be in the long run? This can vary based on your individual anatomy and surgical considerations. But, in general, in the gastric bypass the stomach pouch is created is 1-2 ounces in size. We say it is roughly the size of an egg. In the first few months it is rather stiff due to natural surgical inflammation. About 6-1
