Gastric
Bypass
Surgery
Risks
Gastric bypass
surgery may be an option if you suffer from
morbid
obesity and have tried unsuccessfully to
lose weight on diet and exercise programs and
are not likely to successfully lose weight
without a surgical procedure.
Your
commitment to diet and exercise must be very
strong because even after the surgery, you must
adhere to these lifestyle changes. Otherwise,
complications from the surgery are likely to
develop.
Gastric bypass
surgery has been reported to improve several
co-morbid conditions such as:
• Glucose intolerance and frank diabetes
mellitus
• Sleep apnea and obesity associated
hypoventilation
• Hypertension
• Serum lipid abnormalities
• Osteoarthritis
The gastric
bypass procedure may be considered for obese
individuals who have:
-
A Body
Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more. BMI is
a calculation based on height and weight
that is used to determine whether you are
of normal weight or are overweight. Someone
with a BMI of 40 or more is at least 100
pounds over their recommended weight. A
normal BMI is between 18.5 and 25.
-
A BMI of 35 or more along with a
life-threatening illness that can be made
better with weight loss, such as sleep
apnea, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
If you are considering having the gastric bypass
surgical procedure done, it is important that
you understand the risks involved. At the time a
decision is made to have the surgery, you will
be asked to sign a consent form stating you
understand all the risks involved. You are
encouraged to ask any questions at the time of
your consultation. Some of the risks are as
follows:
-
Bleeding
-
Infections
-
Follow-up surgeries to correct complications, or
to remove excess skin
-
Gallstones due to significant weight loss in a
short amount of time
-
Gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the
stomach)
-
Vomiting from eating more than the stomach pouch
can hold
-
Iron
or vitamin B12 deficiencies (if they occur) can
lead to anemia
-
Calcium deficiency (if it occurs) can contribute
to the development of early osteoporosis or
other bone disorders
Follow up surgeries may be less likely if gastric
bypass is performed with a laparoscope. Another common
complication from gastric bypass is "dumping syndrome."
The symptoms often include:
-
Nausea
and vomiting
-
Diarrhea
-
Bloated
feeling
-
Dizziness
-
Sweating
You can lessen these symptoms by following your
dietitian's guidelines very carefully, especially
during the first two months after surgery. Statistics show that 1 in 300
die from gastric bypass surgery. People who suffer from
morbid obesity can have other serious medical
conditions which are related to or caused by being
overweight. The higher your BMI is, the more likely it
is that other medical problems will exist.
Another risk factor is age,
although this increases the need for surgery
there is generally a higher risk. Any medical
procedure that involves humans and reactions to
stress, trauma, drugs, and other causes,
unpredictable negative results can and will
occur.
Gastric bypass surgery
should
be
considered
only
after
many
attempts
with
other
diet
control
and
exercise
have
failed,
although
keep in
mind
that
diet and
exercise
will be
required
before
and
after
this
surgery.
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