| Health Risks and Complications of Gastric Surgery
Gastric surgery is an invasive procedure and may pose health risks, cause complications and may even result to death in about 1 percent of cases. The more extensive the surgery is the greater risk for health complications. The patients require close monitoring after surgery and in addition, they may have to use supplements or take medications for the rest of their lives. In order to reduce the risks, one should follow proper diet, nutritional and activity guidelines recommended by his accredited bariatric surgeon and dietician.
Intraoperatively or during surgery, short-term complications such as bleeding, gastrointestinal leak and pulmonary embolism may arise although these can be prevented with concentration and careful techniques of the surgical team.
After surgery, the most common complication is severe nausea and vomiting. This happens because the stomach is stretched by food particles that were not chewed well. Abdominal hernias have been reported in 10-20 percent of cases. This is caused by extreme vomiting and straining post surgery when the incision has not healed yet.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common health risks of restrictive surgery because food bypasses the duodenum and jejunum, parts of the small intestine where most minerals are absorbed. Because of this, patients may develop anemia, osteoporosis and other nutritional deficiencies.
Dumping Syndrome or rapid gastric emptying is also common after weight loss surgery. This involves the feeling of faint, vomiting, diarrhea results when food from the stomach is delivered to the small intestines too quickly.
Other health complications include infection, formation of gall stones, and bowel obstruction because of adhesions or scar formation.
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