Potential Health Risks of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery reduces the size of the stomach. The smaller stomach is then reconnected or bypassed to the small intestine. Having a gastric bypass can help speed weight loss by making it difficult to eat too much food at one time and helps the patient feel satisfied after eating very small meals.

Gastric stomach surgery is a serious procedure, and complications from this surgery cause death in about 1 percent of all cases. Most of the complications from gastric bypass operations are correctible. But the more complex the bypass, the greater the danger of health risk. However, bariatric surgeons and weight experts consider the known risks and health dangers of severe obesity to be greater than those resulting from weight loss surgery.

Patients should carefully follow the dietary and exercise guidelines provided by their surgeon and dietitian to avoid complications from surgery. After surgery, they will require close monitoring; and they will need to consume special foods, supplements, and medications for the rest of their lives.

Three common problems after bypass surgery are: nausea and vomiting, dumping syndrome and nutritional deficiency:

Nausea and vomiting are the most common complications that occur in the first few months after gastric bypass surgery. This can occur from eating too fast, drinking liquids while eating, not chewing enough, or eating more than the smaller stomach can comfortably hold or because food is unable to pass out of the stomach.

Dumping Syndrome occurs when food passes too quickly from the stomach into the small intestine. Symptoms may include a combination of nausea, uncomfortable fullness, cramping, and diarrhea, or weakness, sweating, and fast heart rate. Dumping can be triggered by eating sugary foods.

Nutritional Deficiency occurs due to malabsorption of vitamins and minerals. Patients must take a variety of nutritional supplements to prevent these deficiencies. They have an added risk of developing iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin D and calcium absorption may also be reduced. Bypass patients typically need to follow a life long program of nutrient supplementation.

Other Bypass Surgery Complications

About 10-20 percent of bypass patients require follow-up surgeries to correct complications (eg. hernias). More than one-third of patients who have gastric bypass surgery develop gallstones. Other complications include bleeding, infections, stomach pain, ulcers, gastritis (an inflammation of the stomach lining) and possible weight regain after three to five years.

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