Obesity is on the rise all over the world, with the estimated number of overweight Americans increasing regularly. Many people struggle with their weight and are unsuccessful attempting to lose weight through diet and exercise. This makes obesity surgery a viable alternative for a number of people; however, this surgery does have complications.
A pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the pulmonary artery. This is the leading cause of death in patients of obesity surgery. Pulmonary embolism occurs in about 1% to 2% of obesity surgery. About a third of those who suffer from pulmonary embolism die as a result. Despite new methods used during surgery to prevent pulmonary embolism, the incidence of this complication remains constant.
Gastrointestinal leakages
Gastrointestinal leakage is another complication that can result from obesity surgery. The incidence of occurrence is similar to pulmonary embolism: about 1% to 2% of patients experience this problem. The danger with gastrointestinal leaks is that they are sometimes not detected early. When that happens the leaks may cause infections in the abdomen, which requires additional surgery to repair the leaks and clear the infection. This risk increases with additional surgery, meaning that patients who experience leakages are even more likely to develop them after a second operation.
Wound infections
Incision site infections are even more common. Up to 3% of patients may be affected. These infections can be caused by the pressure put on the wound by the heavy weight of the patient. To avoid this, doctors have to close the cuts and incisions with heavy absorbable or nonabsorbable sutures.
Vomiting
Vomiting is a common complication associated with restrictive gastric surgery. Sometimes this is caused by difficulty digesting certain foods after surgery. Gastric surgery alters the digestive process, so patients need to pay close attention to what they eat and when in order to maximize proper absorption of nutrients from food. Vomiting can be caused by staple line disruption or leaks. When vomiting continues, an endoscopy might be required to rule out gastrointestinal blockages.
Late disruptions
Late disruptions occur when there is a breakdown of the partition made by the stapling of the stomach or the intestine. This usually results in the patient regaining weight after the operation. When this happens, the surgery must be performed again, which increases the risk of complications. The incidence of staple disruption ranges from 2% to 23% according to various clinical reports.
Tags: obesity surgery, additional surgery, even more, Late disruptions, patients experience, pulmonary embolism