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You had a stomach bypass operation. In the process the size of your stomach was reduced once more.

The stomach is located in the upper abdomen. The stomach has a curved shape, and is connected to the gullet (oesophagus) at its upper end and with the first part of the small intestine at its lower end. Between the stomach and the small intestine is a ring-shaped valve, the pylorus. The inside of the stomach is lined with mucous membrane.

You had surgery in the past which reduced the size of your stomach. In the process your stomach was made into a sort of sleeve. This is also known as a gastric sleeve. The aim of this type of surgery is to reduce the capacity of the stomach. Then less food can be eaten than before. The aim of gastric bypass surgery is to reduce the capacity of the stomach still further. Then less food can be eaten than before. The surgery should also result in you absorbing fewer nutrients from your food.

The surgery involved severing your gastric sleeve so that it is divided into a large lower section and a small upper section. The large lower part was stitched up and left. No more food will get to it. The small upper part is your gastric pouch. It was stitched to a site in the mid-section of your small intestine.

Post-surgery, the food now goes from your small gastric pouch straight to the mid-section of your small intestine. Food no longer passes through the top section of your small intestine or the major part of your stomach. However, the digestive juices from the liver and pancreas flow into this section of your small intestine. The digestive juices initially then mix with the food in the mid-section of your small intestine.

The operation involved opening your abdomen via an incision in your skin.