An Overview of Gastric Bypass Surgery and other Bariatric Procedures

The Success of Bariatric Surgery

• The Info
• The Aftermath
• The Purpose
• The Success
• The Failure

After gastric bypass surgery, patients will lose weight for up to a year. A study in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings said patients lost 1/3rd of their excess weight one to four years after surgery. The added benefits are better quality of life, reversal of diabetes, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reduced sleep apnea, and more energy. Proper diet planning is essential to keeping the weight off and reducing the risks after gastric bypass surgery.

The Failure

Risks of gastric bypass surgery include infection of the incision, bile leaking into the abdominal cavity from the stomach or intestine, or blood clots. There is a 30% chance of developing gallstones, anemia, or osteoporosis in patients who receive gastric bypass surgery due to nutritional deficiency caused by the elimination of a large portion of the digestive system.

A few risks involved

• About 2 people in 200 die from gastric bypass surgery, during or after the procedure.
• Ulcers develop 5% to 15% of the time.
• Staples may pull loose
• Hernias may develop
• The stomach may enlarge and cause hiccups and bloating
• There is a 5 to 15% chance that the connection between the stomach and intestine narrows, which leads to nausea and vomiting after eating.
• There is a 30% chance patients will develop iron and vitamin B12 deficiency and 50% of these patients will develop anemia.