Gastric bypass is the most frequently performed type of bariatric surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity. This technique modifies the digestive system with a dual purpose: to reduce the amount of food that can be ingested (restrictive criterion) and the nutrient absorption capacity of the intestine (malabsorptive criterion). To do this, the size of the stomach is reduced until it has a capacity of 20-50 c.c. and then connects directly to a more forward section of the small intestine (bypass), so that only 60% of it is used for food absorption.
