Gastric bypass surgery is a type of weight-loss surgery for the obese or morbidly obese in which the digestive system is altered to limit the amount of food that can be eaten and absorbed by the body. With obesity rates on the rise, the number of gastric bypass surgeries has increased significantly with nearly a sixfold increase between the years of 1998 and 2002, according to the National Hospital Discharge Survey. Significant weight loss can be achieved, but several complications are possible after surgery.
Malabsorption
Certain bariatric procedures bypass large portions of the stomach and small portions of the small intestine that are important in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from foods. This can cause a variety of nutritional deficiencies with many negative health consequences, such as anemia, bone diseases and kidney stones. According to the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency occur in approximately 15 percent and 35 percent of patients, respectively. Multivitamin supplements are generally required long term after surgery along with proper dietary counseling to ensure protein and other nutritional goals are being met.
Dumping Syndrome
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, approximately 85 percent of patients will experience dumping at some point after gastric bypass surgery. Dumping occurs when food passes too quickly into the small intestine, resulting in a variety of negative side effects. Early dumping occurs 30 to 60 minutes after eating and late dumping can take place up to three hours after eating. Symptoms include nausea and diarrhea, abdominal cramping, sweating, vomiting and heart palpitations. The risk of dumping is greatly influenced by food choices and refined sugar, and high-glycemic carbohydrates should be avoided. This may include foods such as pancakes and syrup, cookies and sweetened cereals. Dumping can be managed by identifying and avoiding foods that trigger the symptoms, which will vary from person to person.
Excessive Skin
Weight loss is often dramatic and rapid following bariatric surgery---which is the desired result---but it also leaves an excessive amount of extra skin. Skin may hang from anywhere, such as the face or arms and legs, and can cause skin irritation problems that lead to pain and discomfort or infection. Rapid weight loss may also negatively affect muscle mass and fat distribution, according to the website Obesity Help. Plastic surgery is the only option to remove the loose skin and fat from the body. Just as with any surgery, plastic surgery has its associated risks, and there may be a small or large amount of out-of-pocket expenses.
References
- Obesity Help: Life After Bariatric Surgery: The Weight Loss Surgery Lifestyle
- The Western Pennsylvania Hospital: Risks and Complications of Bariatric Surgery
- Dr. David Anaise: Bariatric Surgery: A Review
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: Bariatric Surgery: Postoperative Concerns
- Mayo Clinic: Possible Complications: Bariatric Surgery
- "American Journal of Public Health"; Gastric Bypass Surgery in the United States, 1998--2002; Tonya M. Smoot, Ph.D., et al.; 2006
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