Gastric bypass, so named because it reroutes part of the small intestine around much of the stomach, is done through a long incision down the abdomen or sometimes through a small puncture with a scope.

... Gastric bypass, so named because it reroutes part of the small intestine around much of the stomach, is done through a long incision down the abdomen or sometimes through a small puncture with a scope. The upper stomach is closed off with staples, reducing the functioning stomach from the size of a football to a shot glass. The small intestine is cut from below the original stomach and reconnected to the upper pouch. Pounds melt off for most patients because the new, tiny stomach fills with just a few bites, and because food travels a shorter digestive route - skipping the lower stomach and upper small intestine - so less of it is digested and absorbed by the body. Other weight-loss surgeries involve constricting the stomach with an adjustable silicone band or bypassing most of the small intestine. But gastric bypass surgery, considered the gold standard, is the most popular

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