Gastric bypass surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, has become a staple of the practice of many surgeons.
This complex surgery is generally done laparoscopically and involves cutting into the stomach to create a smaller pouch to receive food. There are a number of different surgical techniques that can be employed but they essentially involve re-routing the stomach contents from the newly created pouch to the duodenum and the remainder of the small intestines. If the pouch is not properly stapled then the contents from the stomach may leak out into the abdominal area and cause severe infection.Other known complications are pulmonary embolus and problems associated with having to cut through layers of fat in a morbidly obese patient.
Signs of problems from gastric bypass surgery.
There are several signs and symptoms that may indicate the presence of a problem following gastric bypass surgery:
- Significant unexplained fever.
- Significant abdominal pain.
- Unexplained rapid heart rate.
Patients seeking this type of surgery must be screened to determine that they meet the general criteria of being one hundred pounds over their ideal body weight. In addition psychological screening is important to assure that the patient is equipped to deal with the dietary and other life style changes necessary for the surgery to be successful.
If you think that you have been the victim of malpractice as a result of gastric bypass surgery, contact us.
