Side Effects and Risks with Sleeve Gastrectomy

With all types of surgery, there is always the possibility of risks and side effects caused by both the procedure and the change your body will need to adapt to. It is best that if you are considering, or have been accepted for this type of weight loss surgery, that you familiarise yourself with the types of side effects or risks associated with a sleeve gastrectomy. Ensuring that you know what might occur will prepare you to deal with any particular side effects, as well as to ensure that you do not put your health in danger by ignoring any possible symptoms associated with the types of complications which could occur.

What Risks are associated with this type of surgery?

Sleeve Gastrectomy is not reversible, and therefore if any complications occur your specialist medical team, allocated to you should be ready to deal with it. As with all surgery there is a risk of death, however statistics show that 1 in 225 patients who have sleeve gastrectomy surgery die, either during surgery or over the months following surgery. One of the most common side effects from this type of surgery is known as leaking, this is caused as the stomach is held together with staples and often abdominal juices can leak through the hold, this will require additional surgery, as sometimes this type of leak can cause infection to occur. 15% of patients who undergo this surgery have been known to develop a hernia, this again will be solved with additional medical attention. You could also be at risk of infection due to the healing of your surgical wounds, you could also be at risk of blood clots and the development of gallstones, other patients have also experienced problems with their gall bladder resulting in the removal of it. You may also experience slight discomfort from nausea, heartburn and excessive gas, often this is caused by the consumption of specific foods or your body adapting to change – the latter often doesn’t occur as much as your digestive system isn’t changed so much during sleeve gastrectomy surgery.


What can I do to reduce side effects and risks?

First of all you should ensure you are familiar with what is most common to occur, and that you know the symptoms so you can point it out as early as possible. You must also familiarise yourself as some of the side effects may not be able to reduced, but knowing what might occur might in some way help you to deal with any pain or discomfort caused by the surgery. You should also be willing to take vitamin supplements for a long time after Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery, this ensures that your body is able to recover and can fight infection after surgery, as you will find that the amount of food you consume is reduced therefore in turn reducing the amount of vitamins your body receives naturally. You may also find that certain foods cause you to feel sick or bloated; you can therefore cut out these types of food and ensure that your dietician assists you with drawing up a diet plan which works for you.

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