Complications & Dangers of Revision Surgery

As with most weight loss surgery methods you may be at risk of some complication or risks, these are also there with patients who undergo revision surgery. For each different method there will be different types of risks that are associated with each procedure, you should look at these complications in depth so that you are prepared incase anything is to go wrong, therefore you can deal with these complications effectively as well as rapidly.

Gastric Band

With having a Gastric band fitted you may be likely to experience stomach cramping, nausea and vomiting whilst your stomach adjusts to its new shape. You may also experience these kind of side effects when you are coming around from the anesthesia from the surgery, some people can experience a reaction to the anesthesia used which can cause complications which sometimes can be severe. However the danger of death is usually only seen in less than 1% of patients, either through surgery or within 30 days after the procedure. Around 50% of patients will experience some type of vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping, and some patients will find it hard to swallow for a certain period of time.


Gastric Bypass

During surgery you may be at risk of causing damage to other organs whilst the procedure is taking place. You may also experience leaking of digestive juices through the staples holding your new stomach pouch together. You may also be at risk of experiencing gallstones after the procedure has been completed. As with most weight loss surgeries you will also be put under anesthesia this can cause you to feel dizzy and nauseas when waking up from surgery. You may also experience infection from the leaking inside of your digestive system if this occurs, you may also be at risk of infection through surgical wounds.

Duodenal Switch

Complications caused by this procedure are often the leaking of digestive juices through the stomach walls, causing infection. You may also experience nutritional deficiencies and sickness. Again with this surgery you will be under anesthesia for surgery, this can in some people cause an allergic reaction, and you can experience dizziness, vomiting and nausea when coming round from the operation. You may also experience uncomfortable stomach cramping, bloating and excessive gas.

Biliopancreatic diversion

Similar to the other options available to you this type of revision surgery is done under anesthesia and can cause side effects when you awake from operation, these side effects include vomiting, dizziness and nausea. You may also experience pain from your surgical wounds, and they could be at risk of infection, your body may also be at risk of infection due to surgery. As well as these side effects you may experience Kidney stones and nutritional deficiencies following surgery. Around 1 in every 200 patients dies either due to surgical complications or within 30 days following surgery.

How should I deal with these complications?

Many of the complications are treatable in different ways and following any of these surgeries you will be staying in hospital for a minimum of 1 night depending on which procedure you have completed. If any complications occur your hospital stay will of course be increased as you will have specialist nurses and surgeons on hand to treat you. If you find you are experiencing pain from any revision surgery you have you will be prescribed necessary pain relief to help you deal with the pain. If you find that you are suffering from infection due to internal leaking you will require additional surgery to eliminate the issue. You will also have your surgical wounds checked on a regular basis and you should ask for advice on how the wounds should be looked after. You will find that if you are able to take nutritional supplements following surgery to help your body cope with the lack of nutrients it will be receiving, some patients take these tables for the foreseeable future. You should also ensure that once you have been discharged from hospital you follow all advice given to you from your specialist team, you should follow the strict diet plan and ensure you eat small amounts and sip fluids. You should take up light exercise leading onto stronger exercise plans when you feel up to it; this will influence on your recovery and will reduce any risk of complications developing.

« Types of Revision Weight Loss Surgery Results of Revision Weight Loss  Surgery »