Gastric Bypass Complications

Gastric bypass complications are always possible, just like complications are a possibility for any surgery or procedure, no matter how small. Gastric bypass surgery is a major surgery performed on the stomach/digestive system.

Two Possible Procedures:

One procedure called Roux-en-Y uses staples, and staples part of the stomach closed, creating a smaller pouch and a smaller passageway for food and liquid to pass by. Since these substances pass by part of the small intestine and stomach, and along with a decreased overall intake, fewer nutrients are absorbed from what is taken in, resulting in weight loss.

A second more extreme type of gastric bypass surgery is called Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch. This procedure is prone to more complications such as malnutrition, and must be watched closely.

Gastric bypass complications should be discussed both before and after surgery. Make sure to take the proper steps to avoid any serious complications, such as infection, if possible. A person with a BMI of 40 or above is a candidate for gastric bypass surgery, and a person with a BMI of 50 or more will most likely find himself have to do the Biliopancreatic Diversion With Duodenal Switch procedure, even though it is more dangerous.

Common Complications

Some possible complications that a patient may face post-op are: kidney stones, low blood sugar, bleeding, stomach ulcers, gallstone, vitamin deficiency, mineral deficiency, dehydration, hernia at the incision site, gallbladder infections, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), nausea and vomiting, iron deficiency and anemia, calcium deficiency (which can negatively impact your skeletal system), and blood clots.

The most common:

• Excess skin- Having to deal with a lot of excess skin after you begin to lose significant amounts of weight is not so pleasant. Depending on the amount of saggy skin you have, your body may require further corrective surgical procedures that insurance will most likely not cover, as they consider it to be a cosmetic procedure, rather than medically necessary.




• Dumping Syndrome- One of the most common, if not the most common, gastric bypass complication. This is relatively harmless and more of just an annoyance. It is when your body is no longer able to tolerate certain foods, specifically foods and items made with high sugar and fat. If a person who has developed The Dumping Syndrome eats foods like that, or whatever food it is that happens to upset their stomach, then they have to deal with a lot of stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, bloating and sweating. The best way to get around this complication is to speak with your doctor and come up with a special diet plan that caters to your body specifically, and be sure to follow it.




• Infections- They can start so easily because there are germs on every surface, even when we wash our hands, there are still germs that remain. Proper wound care is vital when it comes to keeping infections away. If you do not clean the wounds, and the area around them, and you are not keeping up with the dressing changes then an infection can start. Even though it may begin as just a small red spot that is ‘no big deal’, it can turn into something serious. Dealing with infection around an open wound is one thing, but if a an infection gets into an open wound that leads into your stomach, where there are many more open wounds, then that simple infection can spread throughout your body and even become deadly (deaths occurring from gastric bypass complications are very rare, infection is just once complication that needs to be stressed because they do have the most dangerous potential).

I Wouldn’t Worry So Much

Gastric bypass complications are not something that you should worry about, as long as you educate yourself on the possibilities of such complications, and you teach yourself all the possible ways to go about the procedure so that you avoid these complications. Of course, not all gastric bypass complications are avoidable, and the complications will vary from patient to patient depending on many factors such as the operation itself, recovery room care, after-care, and future care of your wounds and of your body. This includes staying onto of necessary steps that must be taken in order to remain healthy. For example, if you realize that you are at risk for some sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency then go to a pharmacy and by those missing nutrients in pill form.

If you think that something is not right, do not sit around waiting to know for sure. You know your body better than anyone so it is important to stay in tuned with yourself and follow your gut. If you have even the slightest worry that something is not right then get looked at immediately. Better safe than sorry.