Bariatric surgery alters the anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract to cause weight loss. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP, studies have shown that bariatric surgery can lead to weight loss that can be maintained long-term, and that it can cure conditions related to obesity such as sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes. After bariatric surgery, lifelong medical observation is required to prevent or recognize complications.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Bariatric surgery causes weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach to restrict food intake, and, in gastric bypass surgery, also causing food to bypass part of the intestines to reduce absorption of calories. Nutritional deficiencies can result, according to Merck Manual Online Medical Library. Other causes include prolonged nausea and vomiting, strictures and blockages of the small intestine. The risk of malnutrition results from inadequate intake of food and supplements or decreased absorption of nutrients. If malnutrition is not treated promptly, diseases such as beri beri and kwashiorkor can result, explains the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, or NIDDK.
Dumping Syndrome
Eating foods that are sweet or high in simple carbohydrates can cause dumping syndrome. It is characterized by dizziness, a rapid pulse, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and increased salivation, notes the AAFP. Commonly caused by lack of compliance with the recommended diet, it usually resolves by itself within two hours.
Neurological Problems
A 2007 article in the journal "Neurology" by Dr. Katalin Juhasz-Pocsine and colleagues describes disabling and permanent complications of bariatric surgery affecting the nervous system. Myelopathy, caused by copper deficiency, can occur a decade after surgery. Damage to the spinal cord results, characterized by symptoms of difficulty walking due to unsteadiness and numbness or tingling of the hands or feet. The NIDDK also reports the possibility of permanent damage to the nervous system following bariatric surgery.
Changes in Surgical Alterations
Leaks, hernias and areas of narrowing, called strictures, are long-term complications that can result from bariatric surgery, according to the National Institutes of Health website, Medline Plus. The surgically-created stomach pouch can break down and require repair. Persistent vomiting can occur due to narrowing of the connection created between the stomach and small intestine, called stomal stenosis.
References
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Caring for Patients After Bariatric Surgery
- The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Bariatric Surgery for Severe Obesity
- Merck Manual Online Medical Library: Bariatric Surgery
- Neurology: Neurologic Complications Of Gastric Bypass Surgery For Morbid Obesity
- MayoClinic.com: Gastric bypass surgery: What Happens If I Regain The Weight?
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