SIDE-EFFECTS OF WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
The most common side-effects of surgery are secondary to the small size of the stomach remnant in restrictive procedures, and include vomiting and the feelings of bloating and stomach distension. Malabsorptive procedures can lead to iron and vitamin B12 deficiency, and deficiency of other vitamins. Dumping syndrome is a relatively common occurrence. The complications of the obsolete jejunoileal bypass are potentially catastrophic and include acute hepatic failure, cirrhosis, oxalate nephropathy, chronic renal failure and malabsorption syndrome.
In the Danish Obesity Project and Swedish Obese Subjects (NICE 2002) trials, four deaths were directly attributable to surgical complications.
Perioperative problems included subphrenic abscess (7%), pneumonia (4%), wound infection (4-6%), pulmonary complications (3-6%) and hepatic dysfunction (1.5%).
Gallstones are a common long term side-effect.
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