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Complications
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Description |
| 1 |
Allergic Reactions |
All kinds of allergic reactions are possible,
from minor reactions such as a rash to sudden overwhelming reactions that
can cause death. |
| 2 |
Anesthetic Complications |
Anesthesia used to put you to sleep for the
operation can be associated with a variety of different complications up to
and including death. |
| 3 |
Bleeding |
Surgery involves incisions and cutting that can
result in bleeding complications, from minor to massive, that can lead to
the need for emergency surgery, transfusion or death. |
| 4 |
Blood Clots |
Also called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and
Pulmonary Embolus can sometimes cause death. In the
4,581 people that
have had the Mini-Gastric Bypass 0.08% have developed clots in their legs
(Deep Vein Thrombosis) and 0.16% have had a pulmonary embolus. This is
10 times lower than seen in other series of gastric bypass but it can still
happen. I understand that I need to get out of bed the evening after surgery
and move and flex my feet and legs to try to help prevent clots from forming
in my legs |
| 5 |
Infection |
Including wound infections, bladder infections,
pneumonia, skin infections and deep abdominal infections that can sometimes
lead to death. |
| 6 |
Leak |
After operation to bypass the stomach the new
connections can leak stomach acid, bacteria and digestive enzymes causing a
severe abscess and infection. This can require repeated surgery, and
intensive care and even death. In the
4,581 patients that
have had the Mini-Gastric Bypass 1.6% have developed a leak. |
| 7 |
Narrowing (stricture) |
Narrowing (stricture) or ulceration of the
connection between the stomach and the small bowel can occur after the
operation this can require emergency operation, intensive care and can
sometimes lead to death. To protect your new stomach from ulcers you
must never again take aspirin, or aspirin like drugs such as Motrin,
Ibuprofen, Naprox, Relafen or other similar drugs. |
| 8 |
Indigestion, Reflux or Ulcers |
The operation can sometimes lead to severe
nausea, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal pain, gastritis or ulcers.
This can be severe and can last for days, weeks and possibly even longer.
This is especially likely if you have had previous problems with nausea,
abdominal pain or ulcers. Nausea is much more
common in women than men. Women that have been treated with any type
of hormone therapy (Premarin, Estrogen or Birth Control Pills) are much more
likely to have nausea and vomiting after surgery. |
| 9 |
Dumping Syndrome |
Dumping Syndrome (Symptoms of the dumping
syndrome include cardiovascular problems with weakness, sweating, nausea,
diarrhea and dizziness) can occur in some patients after gastric bypass.
This can be so severe that the surgery may have to be reversed. |
| 10 |
Bowel Obstruction |
Any operation in the abdomen can leave behind
scar that can put the patient at risk for later bowel blockage or
obstruction. The bowel can twist, obstruct and even perforate leading
to serious complications and even death. |
| 11 |
Laparoscopic Surgery Risks |
Laparoscopic Surgery uses punctures to enter
the abdomen and this can to lead to abdominal injury, bleeding and even
death. |
| 12 |
Side Effects of Drugs |
All drugs have inherent risks and complications
and in some cases can cause a wide variety of side effects, reactions and in
some cases including death. |
| 13 |
Loss of Bodily Function |
The performance of surgery and anesthesia can
stress the body’s systems leading to a variety of complications including
stroke, heart attack, limb loss and other problems related to operation and
anesthesia. |
| 14 |
Risks of Transfusion |
Including Hepatitis and Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), from the administration of blood and/or blood
components. These illnesses are serious and can be fatal. |
| 15 |
Hernia |
Cuts and incisions in the abdominal wall can
lead to hernias after surgery. Hernias can lead to pain, bowel
blockage, obstruction and even perforation and death in some cases.
Treatment of hernias usually requires another operation. |
| 16 |
Hair Loss |
Many patients develop hair loss for a period
after operation. When this occurs it usually starts around 3-4 months after
surgery and resolves at 7-9 months after operation. This usually
responds to increased oral intake of protein and vitamins but it may be
permanent. |
| 17 |
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
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After gastric bypass there is a malabsorption
of many vitamins and minerals. Patients must take vitamin and mineral
supplements forever to protect themselves for
these problems. You also need to have yearly blood tests to measure
the blood levels of these vitamins and minerals. Common deficiencies
that can occur after gastric bypass include iron and calcium deficiency, B12
and Folate deficiencies.
This is very important: Patients must take vitamin and
mineral supplements forever. In some cases the deficiencies are so
severe that they can lead to nerve and brain damage and the operation must
be reversed. |
| 18 |
Inadequate Weight Loss |
WARNING: Remember that you might not lose
weight after the operation.
*There are patients that will fail any type of surgery.
Inadequate weight loss is a risk of all types of weight loss surgery and
indeed of all types of weight loss treatment.
*I recognize that the Mini-Gastric Bypass is not by any
means a perfect treatment and that one of the risks that I face is a real
possibility of inadequate weight loss following my Mini-Gastric Bypass
surgery. |
| 19 |
Excessive Weight Loss |
Some patients sustain excessive weight loss
after operation and may require reversal of the bypass to prevent severe
malnutrition, nausea or vitamin and mineral deficiencies or death.
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| 20 |
Complications of Pregnancy |
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can put the
newborn babies of gastric bypass mothers at risk. No pregnancy should
occur for the first one to two years after operation. Gastric Bypass
has been shown to cause multiple types of vitamin and mineral deficiencies
including: iron, B12, Folate, calcium and many others. Many of these
deficiencies have been shown to cause birth defects or are suspected that
they could cause birth defects. We also know that many patients who lose
weight feel that they are well after surgery and forget to take their
vitamins. Patients must be certain not to miss any of their vitamins
if they decide to go ahead with pregnancy later. |
| 21 |
Unplanned Pregnancy |
Warning to women using Oral Contraceptives
(Birth Control Pills): More than 80 million women worldwide take "the pill"
to prevent pregnancy. Typical failure rates among pill users are as high as
12% to 20% in some surveys. Other factors have been shown to increase
the risk of pill failure: smoking, diarrhea and/or vomiting drug
interactions, systemic illness, psychological stress, and menstrual
disturbances. So it is important to recognize that Birth Control Pills may
not be an effective method of birth control after the Mini-Gastric Bypass
until those factors have resolved. We have found on several occasions that
in many cases the hormonal methods of birth control fail after Mini-Gastric
Bypass. Couples need to plan another form of nonhormal birth control
for 6-12 months after surgery. Depo-Provera has also been associated
with marked cases of nausea in post MGB patients. An unplanned pregnancy can
be one of life's most difficult experiences. |
| 22 |
Other |
Major abdominal surgery, including the
Mini-Gastric Bypass, is associated with a large variety of other risks and
complications, both recognized and unrecognized that occur both soon after
and long after the operation. |
| 23 |
Depression |
Depression and anxiety are common medical
illnesses and have been found to be particularly common after operation.
|
| 24 |
Cancer |
Cancer can occur in anyone. Many cancers
are more common in obese as compared to thin patients. Overweight men have a
significantly higher rate of prostate cancer. Obese women have higher risks
of developing breast cancer and cancer of the uterus and ovaries. It
is expected, but not certain, that with weight loss you will have an overall
decrease in your risk of cancer. The Billroth II connection used in the
Mini-Gastric Bypass has been used for almost 100 years and is performed over
13,000 times a year in America to connect the stomach to the bowel.
Some studies have suggested that the Billroth II connection used in the
Mini-Gastric Bypass can increase the risk of stomach cancer while others do
not show this. The studies showing increase risk of stomach cancer are
in Billroth II patients that had the surgery for ulcers and since ulcers can
cause an increased risk of stomach cancer it may be the stomach ulcer not
the Billroth II that causes some studies to show increased risk of stomach
cancer after the Billroth II. Diet seems to be much more important as
a cause of stomach cancer. Eating processed meats has a much greater
effect on increasing stomach cancer risk that the Billroth II.
Conversely fresh fruits and vegetables seem to protect against stomach
cancer. In the end no one knows what will happen in your case and if
you are concerned about stomach cancer then you could either 1) Not have the
Mini-Gastric Bypass, 2) Have the Mini-Gastric Bypass and avoid processed
meats and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. In either case stomach
cancer is an unlikely event. |
| 25 |
Death |
This is a major and serious operation. It
may lead to death from complications. There has been a death in the
first week after this surgery in one patient. |
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