What is the post-operative treatment after the surgery?
Immediately after the operation, the diet is built up. During the first two weeks only liquid food can be taken. In the third week, the patient switches to pureed food, until in the fourth week he or she can start with light full food.
A very important point of the aftercare is the change of diet. It is recommended to start with this before the procedure and to be accompanied by a nutrition expert. The long-term success of the operation depends on this.
In addition to the changed lifestyle, follow-up examinations are also important. These include first and foremost regular laboratory checks. Special care is taken to ensure that all nutrients and vitamins are sufficiently absorbed.
Most important are vitamin B12 and calcium. But also ultrasound examinations of the abdominal organs are carried out. The special focus here is on the gall bladder. In the first year after the operation, follow-up examinations are initially carried out at short intervals, then at intervals of one year. In your own interest, you can also visit a self-help group.
What are the risks of the surgery?
A more common problem is that the connections sewn between the small intestine and the stomach leak or become inflamed. This is called an anastomosis insufficiency or leakage. In such a case, further surgical intervention is mandatory.
Other less frequent complications are bleeding, injury to other structures in the abdominal cavity, inflammation of the abdominal cavity, intestinal obstruction and blood poisoning. In some cases, it is necessary to switch from the minimally invasive method to the open technique with a large scar during surgery. The risk of thrombosis (blood clots) is also increased due to the fact that many patients lie down after the procedure.
As with any operation, complications can occur during anesthesia. On the one hand, this can be postoperative nausea. Severe complications, such as cardiovascular disorders and allergies, are very rare. However, complications during surgery are more common in overweight patients than in normal weight patients. All important information can be found here:
- These are the risks of a gastric bypass
- Causes of intestinal obstruction
- Postoperative anaemia
