Studies Concerning Complications of Gastric Bypass Surgery

There were 57 complications of gastric bypass surgery shown out of 335 patients in a study conducted by the University Hospitals of Cleveland . This study involved the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. If you are not familiar with this surgery, this is the type that staples the upper stomach to make a small pouch and then attaching this smaller pouch to the small intestines but bypassing a portion of the small intestines at the same time.

The study showed that many of the 335 patients had more than one complications of gastric bypass surgery such as leaks, tears, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and infections.

Some of the complications of gastric bypass surgery may be brought on because of the extra weight of the patients. On the report the researchers had stated that there were eight patients with leaks from the stomach into the abdominal, five staple line disruptions at the stomach, three pulmonary embolism, two patients came down with pneumonia, one case of extreme infection, and one patient with abdominal wound disruption. This report was on 335 patients. Also stated in this report is that 17 patients had to go back to the hospital within 30 days of the surgery.

There are complications with gastric bypass surgery, but the benefits normally outweigh the risks. Many of these complications can be eliminated if the patient adheres to the instructions of the surgeon for their diet, exercise and supplements. Gastric bypass surgery should be a last resort after all other avenues to lose weight have been exhausted, not because of the complications of gastric bypass surgery, but because it is a major surgery.