Gastric Bypass Complications Need To Be Considered Over A Relatively Long Time Frame

Gastric bypass surgery (otherwise known as bariatric or weight loss surgery) is assisting many thousands of morbidly obese people to reduce their risk from such life-threatening conditions as high blood pressure and to regain much of their former lifestyle. Complications from gastric bypass surgery can however be substantial and have to be considered carefully before electing surgery.

Numerous studies have been carried out into rates of gastric bypass complication in the short-term and these usually follow patients for approximately 30 days after their procedure. A more recent study however (examining claims for both hospital and outpatient care for in excess of 5,000,000 individuals enrolled in employment health plans across forty-nine states and including in excess of 2,500 weight loss patients) has extended the results of previous studies to look in detail at complications experienced up to 6 months following surgery.

According to the study death occurred during the procedure, or in the 6 months following the procedure, in only 0.2% of patients and the most commonly seen complications were dumping syndrome (reflux, diarrhea and vomiting) which happened in 20% of cases, anastomosis problems (such as leakage or stricture arising at the site of the join between the stomach and intestine) which was seen in 12% of cases, abdominal hernias in 7% of cases, infections in approximately 6% of cases and pneumonia which happened in 4% of patients.

The study also found that approximately 10% or people who got through the first 30 days without complication subsequently experienced complications during the following 5 months. In the majority of cases these problems consisted of dumping syndrome, abdominal hernia, anastomosis problems, and ulcers. Additionally, although just under 5% of patients had to be re-admitted to hospital during the 30 day period, this figure increased to a little over 7% when looking at the longer 6 month time period.

The cost of gastric bypass surgery was also impacted significantly by problems and, although individuals experiencing surgery free from problems paid an average of $25,000, problems within the 6 month post-operative period increased this to roughly $36,500. Where individuals had to be re-admitted to hospital because of gastric bypass complications the cost rose to just over $65,000.

Weight loss surgery is very much the start of the weight loss process and, unlike many types of surgery which cure your problem instantly, the results of bariatric surgery take time to appear. It is not surprising therefore that problems arise following surgery and this is something that must be considered carefully before taking any decision to take this route.