For some people, losing weight is not simply a matter of decreasing calories consumed while increasing activity. People who are obese may need surgical intervention to lose enough weight to bring their body mass index into a healthy range. Bariatric procedures, which are those that alter the stomach or intestines to control weight, are increasingly common in the United States. Altering the digestive tract results in weight loss, but it may also cause nutritional complications.
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery aims to control weight by physically altering the stomach, intestines or both, according to the Merck Manual. Restrictive bariatric procedures, such as gastric banding, severely reduce the size of the stomach so that the person feels fuller sooner and eats less food. Malabsorptive procedures reroute the digestive tract to bypass parts of the intestines to lessen the amount of calories absorbed by the body. Some procedures combine both restrictive and malabsorptive characteristics.
Malabsorption Syndrome
Malabsorption syndrome is the inability of the intestines to properly absorb nutrients from food. It occurs as a side effect of certain types of gastrointestinal surgery, including bariatric procedures, the website MyOptimum Health.com notes. Malabsorption syndrome may also be caused by diseases such as Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis or chronic liver or pancreatic disease. Although bariatric procedures rely on some degree of malabsorption to produce weight loss, malabsorption syndrome can lead to gallstones, anemia, kidney stones or heart failure.
Symptoms
Symptoms of malabsorption syndrome are also common side effects associated with malabsorptive bariatric procedures. Malabsorption syndrome symptoms include chronic diarrhea, bloating and gas and bulky or fatty stools, says MyOptimumHealth. Other symptoms include a painful or swollen abdomen, muscle cramping, burning or itching around the rectum and fluid retention. An irregular heartbeat may result from potassium deficiency and vitamin K deficiency may lead to blood clotting disorders.
After malabsorptive weight loss procedures, deficiencies in calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D and iron are expected, says The Merck Manual. Patients may develop anemia and women are at especially high risk for loss of bone calcium, warns the University of California. Dumping syndrome or a sudden emptying of the stomach contents into the small intestine, results when too much food is consumed or foods high in sugar. Dumping can cause nausea, weakness and faintness. Foul-smelling, watery diarrhea is common following surgery and may be chronic.
Treatment
Vitamin supplements and nutrient replacement are used to treat malabsorption syndrome, EndoNurse states. Vitamin B12 injections or iron supplements may be necessary in some cases. Following bariatric surgery, the University of California recommends patients follow dietary guidelines provided by the surgeon and take nutritional supplements to avoid deficiencies.
Considerations
To qualify for bariatric surgery, potential patients must be at least 100 lb. over their recommended weight or have a body mass index of 40 or higher, says the University of California. All potential candidates for surgery must also undergo a thorough medical and psychological exam.
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