Complications In Gastric Bypass Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery is used to treat very obese people who are unable to lose weight through diet and exercise. According to the Weight Control Information Network of the National Institutes of Health, successful surgery will lead to weight loss, a decreased risk of diabetes and possibly a decrease in mortality. Despite all the potential benefits, however, complications in gastric bypass surgery can develop.

Early Complications

Gastric bypass is major surgery and like any surgery, carries a risk of complications. Some complications are more likely to occur soon after surgery, such as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. These blood clots in the leg can lead to pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal condition in which the clot travels to the lungs, blocking them to the point that they can't deliver oxygenated blood to the body.

The surgical sutures may leak as well, and the surgical site can become infected. Pneumonia is not uncommon. Gastric bypass surgery can also lead to death. The risk depends on the patient's age, weight and existing medical conditions.

Late Surgical Complications

Some complications of gastric bypass surgery tend to develop much later. For example, a stricture may develop in the opening between the stomach and intestines, preventing adequate food intake.

Hernias are another possible complication in which part of the bowel either protrudes from, or is trapped inside, the abdomen. An incarcerated intestine can become necrotic, a life-threatening condition in which tissue death occurs.

Dumping syndrome can develop in which the opening between the stomach and the intestine does not function normally. This causes food to pass through too quickly. Symptoms of dumping syndrome include nausea, vomiting and dizziness.

Malnutrition

According to the text "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," gastric bypass reduces or eliminates absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, among them iron, folate, B12, calcium and vitamin D. Insufficient vitamin D and calcium can lead to osteoporosis. Lack of iron causes anemia, as does a lack of folate. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, disease of the peripheral nerves, disease of the spinal cord, psychiatric illness and dementia. The neurological manifestations of B12 deficiency are irreversible. It is therefore imperative to prevent this deficiency by using supplements and monitoring the blood count and the level of vitamins in the blood.