It’s natural to be concerned about the risks associated with
gastric bypass and gastric banding surgery, since some
complications associated with weight loss surgery can be fatal.

A recent study by University of Washington researchers found
the fatality rate from gastric bypass surgery can be as high as
5% for younger patients, and 50% or more for older patients.

Less experienced surgeons and obesity clinics have the highest
rates of complications. It makes sense to discuss the possible
risks with your doctor before agreeing to the surgery, and to
find out how many previous surgeries they have performed, along
with their outcomes.

Gastric Banding Complications:

It appears there are fewer complications after Lap-Band™ weight
loss surgery, which restricts the size of the stomach but does
not change the intestinal tract or cause the malabsorption of
nutrients. The most common risks of this type of procedure are
nausea, vomiting and gastroesophageal reflux.

Since this type of procedure does not cause the “dumping
syndrome” common to gastric bypass surgeries, Lap-Band patients
are still able to eat sugary and high-fat foods in small
quantities. This may be why these patients lose weight slower
than those who undergo a more invasive gastric bypass surgery.

Gastric Bypass Complications:

There is a longer list of common complications and risks
associated with the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, but many
surgeons and obesity centers prefer to offer this type of
surgery because of it’s overall safety record and the fast
weight loss experienced by most post-gastric bypass patients.
Among the common complications are:

• Bleeding, either internally and at the site of incision.

• Leakage around the internal sutures, causing food or liquids
to exit the digestive system into the abdominal wall.

• Internal and external infections.

• Gallstones due to significant weight loss in a short amount
of time, which will often require a return to the operating
room, and which may be life-threatening.

• Gastritis, an inflamation of the stomach lining.

• Vomiting, if too much food is eaten at one time.

• Malabsorption of Iron or vitamin B12, which can lead to
anemia.

• Malabsorption of calcium, which can contribute to bone loss
(early osteoporosis) or other bone disorders.

• Dumping Syndrome – including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a
bloated feeling, dizziness and sweating. These symptoms can be
somewhat controlled by following a strict diet and continuing
with nutritional counseling after your surgery.

• Emotional issues resulting from rapid weight loss and a
change in the patient’s self-image, or changes in family
relationship dynamics after the surgery.

Any operation comes with risks, and obese patients have even
greater than normal risks due to common conditions associated
with their excess weight, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Your surgeon will carefully monitor your progress after surgery
to reduce the risk of infections, pneumonia or pulmonary
embolism.

The care you receive after your surgery is particularly
important, because this is when the medical staff at the
hospital can discover any problems, such as leakage and
infection, which will need immediate emergency surgery or
treatment.

It is also important to keep up your regular exams after
surgery, and follow the diet and other advice given you when
you’re released from the hospital. Some problems such as
infection, pneumonia and gallstones can be fatal if not treated
in time, and may occur after you go home.