Bariatric medicine deals with the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity. Bariatric surgery changes the anatomy of the stomach and intestines to assist a morbidly obese person in losing weight. An indication for bariatric surgery is people having a body mass index, or BMI, above 40. According to bariatricsurgerypittsburgh.com, the risks and complications of surgical treatment of obesity are predominately due to obesity-related health issues.
Ulcers
According to Mayoclinic.com, one complication of gastric bypass surgery is formation of an ulcer where the small intestine attaches to the upper part of the stomach. Ulcers occur in approximately 5 percent of gastric bypass surgery patients.
Dehydration
Mayoclinic.com says dehydration is a complication following weight-reduction surgery, because patients are unable to drink large amounts of liquid at one time.
Gallstones
According to bariatricsurgerypittsburgh.com, about one in three patients who follow a diet for rapid extreme weight loss develop gallstones. To decrease this risk after bariatric surgery, patients receive supplemental bile salts such as ursidiol/Actigall for six months after the procedure. Bile salts decrease the risk of gallstone formation after bariatric surgery to 3 percent, a 91 percent relative-risk reduction.
Kidney Stones
According to bariatricsurgerypittsburgh.com, kidney stones may complicate gastric bypass surgery. The most common type of kidney stone is calcium oxalate. If oxalate builds up, it can be deposited as calcium oxalate in the urine and form kidney stones. Rarely, this can result in kidney failure.
Death
Bariatricsurgerypittsburgh.com says the risk of death after bariatric surgery is approximately 0.3 percent. Death is usually due to heart or lung disease. Surgical causes of death can be related to pulmonary embolism, or blood clots to the lungs, or a gastrointestinal tract leak.
Pulmonary Embolism
According to bariatricsurgerypittsburgh.com, pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot in the leg or deep venous thrombosis travels to the lungs. Occasionally, pulmonary embolism causes sudden death, but usually patients develop acute shortness of breath and chest pain. Pulmonary embolism occurs in fewer than 1 percent of cases.
Bleeding
Wherever stapling was done, bleeding can happen. This occurs in about 2 percent of patients. In most, bleeding stops after stopping heparin, which prevents blood clotting and pulmonary embolism. In rare cases, endoscopy or surgery may be needed.
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