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Guidelines for sites linking to mayoclinic.orgExcess weight places extra stress on the chest cavity and lungs, resulting in a greater risk of pneumonia after surgery.
Another postoperative problem that can occur is venous thrombosis, or blood clots in the leg. This risk is best reduced by exercising the leg muscles to promote blood flow. Walking is the best therapy to prevent blood clots; even moving the feet and ankles up and down while lying in bed helps.
Infections in the incision occur in about 5 percent of people who have surgery for weight reduction. These infections may be serious. Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery reduces to less than 1 percent the chance of wound infection.
A leak at one of the staple lines in the stomach is a slight possibility. Most leaks are treated nonoperatively with drainage and antibiotics and heal with time. Sometimes, however, a very serious leak requires emergency surgery.
One possible complication of gastric bypass surgery is the development of an ulcer where the small intestine is attached to the upper part of the stomach. Ulcers may occur in 5 percent of people who have gastric bypass surgery. Ulcers are most common in people who take aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs).
A hernia or weakness in the incision occurs in about 15 percent of people who have tradiational open weight-reduction surgery. Usually, surgical repair is necessary, depending on the symptoms and the extent of the hernia. After laparoscopic surgery, less than 2 percent of patients have hernia.
A rare complication is a narrowing or stricture of the stoma (opening) between the stomach and intestine. Fixing this complication may require another surgery. More commonly, an outpatient procedure can expand the narrowed area with a dilating tube passed to the stomach through the mouth.
Mayo Clinic physicians have recognized and reported on a seemingly rare but serious complication following gastric bypass called NIPHS (non-insulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycemia syndrome) or post-bariatric surgery hypoglycemia. After a person eats, this condition can result in very low blood sugar levels that lead to severe neurologic symptoms, including visual disturbances, confusion and (rarely) seizures.
Mayo physicians in Minnesota have evaluated and treated several patients with NIPHS. When medical and diet therapies do not work, surgical removal of part of the pancreas has resulted in marked improvement of symptoms for most patients. If the symptoms described above occur, patients should notify their physician immediately. Until this condition is controlled, patients should avoid driving motorized vehicles or performing tasks that could affect the safety of those around them.
After weight-reduction surgery, the body may not absorb certain vitamins and minerals. Long-term complications of this malabsorption may include:
Follow-up visits with the physician will determine which vitamin and mineral supplements are necessary after surgery. The need for vitamin and mineral supplements is especially evident in people who have a very, very long limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. This surgery can be associated with frequent diarrhea and failure to absorb enough calcium and iron.
Dehydration is a possible complication following weight-reduction surgery, as patients are no longer able to drink large quantities of liquid at one time.
In the first three to six months after surgery, as the body reacts to rapid weight loss, the patient may experience one or more of the following changes:
Some changes are due to a slowing of the body's metabolism from weight loss and usually resolve with time.
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