Gastric Bypass Surgery Risks

Getting a gastric bypass surgery is a major decision. It requires careful research of the procedure and its potential risks in order to avoid post-surgery complications. It is therefore crucial to fully understand these risks beforehand.

There are several different risk factors that play a role in gastric bypass surgery: General complications common to all abdominal surgeries, pre-existing risk factors, specific gastric bypass surgery risks, and risks related to the experience level of the surgeon.

Let's take a closer look at each of these risk factor clusters.

Pre-existing Risk Factors for Gastric Bypass

Since gastric bypass surgery is a dramatic measure taken to address specific health problems, the extent of each of these problems at the starting point is of the essence. The five most important pre-existing risk factors for gastric bypass surgery are:

• Degree of Obesity
• Heart Disease
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Diabetes Mellitus
• History of Prior Pulmonary Embolism

General Risks of Abdominal Surgeries

All abdominal surgeries, of which gastric bypass is one, carry some common risks regardless of the specific procedure being performed. Gastric bypass surgery is no exception – it is also susceptible to the major risks common to all abdominal surgeries. These include:

• Infection
• Hemorrhage
• Hernia
• Bowel obstruction
• Venous thromboembolism

Specific Risks of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Beyond the general risks of abdominal surgery, there are a number of gastric bypass risks specific to the procedure itself. The potential complications and negative consequences of gastric bypass include:

• Anastomotic leakage
• Anastomotic stricture
• Anastomotic ulcer
• Dumping syndrome

Choosing a Surgeon

Your choice of surgeon is among the most important factors in mediating gastric bypass surgery risks. Consider this: Much of the risk of death within 30 days after the surgery is attributed to the level of experience of the surgeon. There is a learning curve for surgeons who perform gastric bypass surgery. Once surgeons have gained experience and performed more than 20 procedures, the short-term risk of death is much lower and closer to 0.5%.

It is therefore incredibly important to do extensive and thorough research, or consult your primary care physician and ask for confirmed recommendations, before selecting your surgeon. A competent and experienced surgeon is the first step to avoiding the most serious gastric bypass surgery risks.

To learn more about what each of the specific gastric bypass risks the surgery entails, your complete guide to understanding and mediating the risks of gastric bypass surgery.

Gastric Bypass Risks
Your complete guide to gatric bypass surgery risks and potential complicaitons