Part 2 - What are the Dangers of Weight Loss Surgery?

With celebrities like Rosanne Barr and Randy Jackson undergoing weight loss surgery, millions of Americans are joining in this innovative procedure to reduce their waistlines. However, weight loss surgery is still a medical procedure, and each patient must be aware of the risks before agreeing to this invasive weight loss process.

According to the International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA), about 45,000 people have undergone weight loss surgery since 2001. With the popularity of this form of weight loss on the rise, it is important to know the risks associated with the procedure before jumping into the unknown.

Anyone considering weight loss surgery should be at least 100 pounds overweight or have a Body Mass Index of 40 or higher. Consult with your surgeon before having this or any other procedure done.

Weight loss surgery is considered by most surgeons as a “last resort” and is not a cure for weight loss. That said, the ISAA has reported that because weight loss surgery deaths are underreported or undiagnosed, an unknown number of patients have died as a result of complications from weight loss surgery.

The International Bariatric Surgery Registry reported, “One in 1,000 patients will die within four weeks [of weight loss surgery] and three in 1,000 will die within three months.” Health risks occur because food bypasses the duodenum (a major part of the digestive system), causing the body to miss essential nutrients.

With any surgery, there are always risks to consider. Some risks associated with weight loss surgery include:

• bleeding,
• complications due to anesthesia and medications,
• deep vein thrombosis (blood clot),
• dehiscence (reopening of a closed wound),
• infection,
• leaks from staple line breakdown,
• marginal ulcers,
• heart problems,
• spleen injury,
• removal of spleen,
• narrowing of blood vessels or organs.

Sometimes, during surgery, an operation cannot be completed because the patient previously had abdominal surgery, the surgeon cannot see the organs, or the patient has bleeding complications during the procedure. At this point, the doctor may have to make a judgment call and perform open surgery on the patient.

Side Effects or Weight Loss Surgery

One possible side effect of weight loss surgery is iron deficiency anemia due to the body’s inability to absorb iron and calcium. This can be especially risky for women who lose a lot of blood during menstruation or for patients with hemorrhoids. Because of the lack of calcium, osteoporosis (a form of bone loss) is also a possible side effect. Patients may also experience metabolic bone disease, which can cause bone pain, height loss, or rib and hip fractures. Chronic anemia, a lack of vitamin B12, is also a possible side effect but can usually be managed with pills or injections.2

Other possible side effects include:

• vomiting,
• dumping syndrome,
• nutritional deficiencies,
• gallstones,
• nausea,
• bloating,
• diarrhea,
• excessive sweating,
• increased gas, and
• dizziness.
• Women should also avoid trying to get pregnant until their doctor says it is okay to do so.

The American Society for Bariatric Surgery reported in its 2004 consensus statement that five percent of patients who underwent Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass experienced complications and .5 percent died from the operation. In the same report, five percent of patients who underwent Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding experienced complications and .l percent died from the surgery.

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