A bypass surgery typically refers to a procedure where a blood vessel in the body is bypassed by the insertion of an artificial blood vessel. This is usually done when a part of a blood vessel gets blocked by the formation of plaques or other hindrances. In some cases, the blocked blood vessel is completely sealed from the system so that the collected blockage material does not break off and flow to other parts of the body. A bypass surgery typically means that there is a coronary surgery that has been performed. Most bypass surgeries occur on the heart’s blood supply mechanism itself.
Bariatric surgery is a type of bypass procedure that is meant to bypass a part of the digestive system. It is done for cases of extreme weight loss. In some cases, obesity has reached a level where it is dangerous to the individual and an immediate weight loss program is required. This procedure reroutes the digestive system in such a way that a portion of the stomach and the top of the intestines is bypassed. This slows the rate of absorption of food that is eaten. It also creates a smaller area for food storage within the stomach. A normal individual stores food in the stomach as the process of digestion begins. Gradually the food is processed and sent into the small intestine where it progresses through the digestive system. A person will not be able to eat as much food after a gastric bypass surgery because of the smaller available space in the stomach.
The relationship of bariatric surgery and alcohol is also interesting. Because of the bypass surgery, alcohol tends to reach the absorbent area of the stomach directly. This means that a patient will be inebriated much faster than one who has not had a bypass surgery. When it comes to gastric bypass surgery and alcohol consumption, one needs to avoid this for the first few weeks or months after the procedure. The typical recommended period of abstinence is 6 months. After this, small quantities of alcohol may actually help, as they would for healthy individuals. This small quantity is defined as one glass of wine every day. A patient who feels uncomfortable after alcohol consumption should avoid this completely.
Gastric bypass surgery recovery usually takes a couple of weeks. Initially, the patient will be resting in bed and then normal activity will resume after that.