Gastric Bypass Surgery Belfast

There are a lot of versions of the gastric bypass (or the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) but they all do the same thing.

There are two main parts to the procedure:
1. A small pouch is created to divide the top of the stomach from the rest of
the stomach.
2. The top part of the small intestine is cut, and the bottom end is brought up
and connected to the new pouch in the stomach.

The procedure is completed by connecting the top portion of the divided small intestine to the small intestine further down. This allows stomach acid and digestive juices to mix with the food and digest.

The average excess weight loss after a gastric bypass is around 70%. In other words, if you were 100lbs overweight before surgery you can expect to lose around 70lbs. As with the sleeve gastrectomy there is a tendency towards weight re-gain over time, but even at 10-years most patients will keep at least 50% of their excess weight off.

Furthermore, weight loss with the gastric bypass seems to be greater and more durable than with either the gastric band or the sleeve gastrectomy.

Yes. We regularly welcome patients from Belfast and across Northern Ireland for gastric bypass surgery at Auralia. Our team provides full support throughout the journey, from consultation and planning to surgery and long-term aftercare.

Our Gastric Bypass price starts from £288 per month.

We offer flexible plans to suit every budget. Our financing plans allows you to spread your procedure cost over 36 monthly payments.

The price include everything you need to be covered, from hospital fees, anaesthesia, surgeon, consultations, to premium Irish aftercare and follow ups. No hidden extras.

Get in touch with us to get more details about financing your surgery.

CALORIC RESTRICTION
The small pouch restricts the amount of food that can be eaten during one sitting which means fewer calories are taken in.

HORMONAL CHANGES
Re-routing the food stream by bypassing part of the small bowel causes a change in ghrelin (hormone for appetite). This causes a reduction in appetite helping you eat less and lose weight faster.

REDUCTION IN CRAVINGS
Help reduce your interest in high-fat foods, alcohol and sweets which lowers your consumption of high-calorie food.

In order to be eligible for bariatric surgery, your BMI should be over 30.

You will also need to complete a surgical, medical, psychological and dietary evaluation before you’re approved for a gastric bypass. If you have any questions about eligibility, feel free to get in contact with our team today.

Dumping syndrome is a condition that can develop after gastric bypass and also after sleeve gastrectomy. It occurs when sugars move from the stomach into the bowel too quickly.

Most people with dumping syndrome develop signs and symptoms, such as abdominal cramps and diarrhea, 10 to 30 minutes after eating. Other people have symptoms one to three hours after eating, and still others have both early and late symptoms. These include:
● Nausea
● Vomiting
● Abdominal cramps
● Diarrhea
● Flushing
● Dizziness, lightheadedness
● Rapid heart rate
Generally, you can help prevent dumping syndrome by changing your diet after surgery. Changes might include eating smaller meals and limiting high-sugar foods.

Although around 60-70% of gastric bypass patients develop some degree of dumping, in only around 5% it does become chronic and require specific treatment in the form of medication or (rarely) surgery.

Some patients even claim to like dumping because they regard it as a form of aversion therapy – to stay away from sweet things!

Although calories are generally absorbed as normal after a gastric bypass, vitamins and minerals are most certainly not. So, it is absolutely essential for you to take regular (daily) vitamins and minerals after bypass surgery. If you fail to do this, you are almost certain to run into serious health problems, such as anaemia, nerve damage and bone disease. Key micronutrients include Vitamin B12, B1 (thiamine) and D, calcium, iron and zinc. You will be given detailed information regarding vitamin and mineral supplements after surgery.

A gastric bypass is an invasive operation and an experienced surgeon is a necessity when getting this procedure performed. Despite causing significant changes to the anatomy of your bowel and stomach 99.8% of patients do survive the procedure. In fact, a gastric bypass procedure is safer than getting your hip replaced.

With every surgical procedure, however, there are risks and the general risks of a gastric bypass include:

● Excessive bleeding
● Infection
● Reactions to anaesthesia
● Blood clots
● Breathing problems
● Leakage

There are also some longer-term risks and complications of bypass surgery including:

● Dumping syndrome
● Gallstones
● Hernias
● Low blood sugar
● Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
● Bowel obstruction

Yes, some weight regain can happen over time, and it’s usually linked to things like grazing, high-calorie liquids, reduced activity, or drifting away from follow-up support. The best protection is sticking with your scheduled reviews, getting help early if habits slip, and treating the surgery as a long-term programme rather than a one-off event.

A standard Roux-en-Y gastric bypass creates a small pouch and reroutes the intestine using a “Y” configuration with two connections. A mini (one-anastomosis) gastric bypass creates a long narrow pouch and connects it to the intestine with one connection, which is why it’s called “one anastomosis”. Mini bypass can be very effective, but it may worsen reflux in some patients and can carry a slightly higher risk of malnutrition.

Yes. Your initial consultation can be done conveniently online via Zoom or in person at our private hospital in Dublin. This allows you to discuss your weight loss goals, suitability for surgery, and treatment plan before you need to travel.

Yes. In most cases, required blood tests and pre-operative assessments can be arranged locally in Belfast. Our team will provide clear instructions and all required documentation to ensure you are fully prepared before surgery.