Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery aims to induce weight loss in severely overweight or obese patients. Gastric bypass is major surgery and involves stapling the stomach so that only a small portion can receive food. Then, the small intestine is cut and attached to the small pouch created by the staples. In this way, food 'bypasses' one section of the small intestine, the duodenum, and enters the jejunum. The surgery aids weight loss in two ways: First, because the stomach is smaller, the patient is unable to eat large portion sizes. Second, because food is skipping part of the small intestine, there is less opportunity for calories to be absorbed. The Mayo Clinic notes that although gastric bypass is the most common type of weight loss surgery performed, there can be complications.
Surgery Complications
Because gastric bypass involves major surgery and anesthesia, complications may arise that are not unique to the procedure. Information about Roux-en-Y surgery from the National Library of Medicine states that the patient may suffer from a pulmonary embolism, where a blood clot moves from the legs to arteries in the lungs. This can be deadly. Loss of too much blood, heart attack or stroke may also occur while surgery is performed. Patients may also suffer infections in the area where the incision was made, as well as in the lungs, kidneys or bladder.
Immediate Complications
In some cases, the staples used to reduce stomach size may begin to leak. Often this can be treated with antibiotics, but the Mayo Clinic states that if the condition worsens emergency surgery may be needed to fix the problem. Complications may also appear at the site of the surgical incision. For example, a patient may experience an incisional hernia in which tissue bulges at the incision. This is not usually a risk when surgery is performed laparoscopically (with smaller incisions). Any injury to internal organs during the procedure may result in later complications. Because bypass patients are overweight, the extra pounds add stress and pressure on the chest cavity. This can make the patient more susceptible to pneumonia after surgery. Some patients may feel depressed after surgery. Counseling on post-operative lifestyle changes may be recommended.
Long-term Complications
Over time, patients who have undergone bypass surgery may develop anemia or osteoporosis due to changes in their ability to absorb vitamins and minerals. Decreased amounts of iron and vitamin B12 levels lead to anemia and lower levels of calcium can cause osteoporosis. Some patients may also suffer from dumping syndrome. Because of the smaller stomach size, food may move too quickly through the small intestine. According to the Mayo Clinic, the body then reacts with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness. If the small stomach pouch weakens or the passage between the stomach and intestine becomes too small, additional surgery may eventually be needed.
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