Introduction
The risks of a gastric bypass are relatively low in relation to the severity of the procedure and the drastic permanent effects on digestion. The procedure is designed so that, although there are serious changes in stomach size and thus in food intake, no anatomically important areas are compromised or removed and no complications should arise in hormonal or further digestion. In order to make the procedure more tolerable, it is performed laparoscopically, i.e. minimally invasive, in most cases if possible.
A camera with light and the necessary instruments are inserted through a few small incisions. The procedure is considerably more difficult in the case of extremely obese or overweight persons. Large amounts of fatty tissue make it difficult to get an overview of the abdominal cavity and organs often cannot be differentiated exactly from each other, which can lead to further complications.
- Gastric Bypass
- Stomach reduction
What are the risks of the surgery?
Typical risks, which must always be taken into account during abdominal surgery, are the accidental injury to surrounding anatomical structures. In addition to parts of the stomach and intestine, the surgical tools can also damage the liver, spleen, gallbladder, diaphragm, blood vessels and, in rare cases, the bladder or lower abdominal organs. The risk of these injuries is increased by difficult anatomical conditions, severe overweight or previous operations.
Injuries to the intestine can cause food particles to enter the abdominal cavity and cause inflammation. Injuries to the liver, spleen or blood vessels can sometimes cause severe bleeding during or after surgery. If these defects are noticed during the operation, they must be repaired immediately by the surgeon.
More rarely, however, circulatory problems and allergic reactions to the anesthesia may occur during the operation. In rare cases, patients may have an unknown allergic reaction to an antibiotic, narcotic or other medication. This can lead to anaphylactic reactions with circulatory problems. In patients with limited lung function, minimally invasive procedures can cause discomfort. For a better overview, the abdomen is pumped up with CO2 in the area of the operation, which can accumulate in the body if lung function is poor and lead to complaints.
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