Unfortunately, complications do occur despite every effort to avoid them. Below is a list of complications that are more common for the different procedures. It is not an exclusive list, and it is important to know that there may yet be complications in the future that we are unaware of at this point in time.

There are anaesthetic risks and risks peculiar to each particular procedure. Any weight loss surgery can cause gallstones to become symptomatic and may subsequently require removal of the gallbladder.

All patients who are morbidly obese are immediately classed as high anaesthetic risk, due to the nature of the illness and the morbidities.

General surgical complications include, but are not limited, to DVT (Dangerous blood clots in the leg veins), Pulmonary embolus, wound infection, bladder infection, chest infection, and intra-operative damage to organs. These can occur as a result of traction, slippage of tissues during retraction, thermal injuries, perforation of the stomach, bowel, or adjacent organ, bleeding from major vessels….the list goes on, but fortunately they are uncommon. There may in fact even be complications in the future that we are unaware of at this early phase in the history of Weight Loss Surgery.

 

ORBERA Intragastric Balloon 

  • Pressure necrosis of gastric wall
  • Bleeding from stomach
  • Migration and intestinal obstruction or impaction.
  • Migration and aspiration
  • Intolerance needing removal
  • Obesity surgery following failed balloon

 

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding 

  • Slippage, which might cause obstruction and urgent surgery.
  • Erosion into the stomach.
  • Perforation of stomach during surgery, which might be unrecognized at the time.
  • Leakage, usually from difficulty in inflating the port and damaging the tubing.
  • Wound infection that might need removal of port and replacement 3 months later.
  • Further surgery especially lap band removal
  • Mortality <1%

 

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

  • Leak from staple line (<1%)
  • Bleeding from staple line
  • Necrosis of remaining stomach (Not reported yet)
  • Damage to spleen or bowel, requiring removal or repair
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Mortality (according to a recent obesity conference 1 in 500)

 

Laproscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric bypass

  • Anastomotic leaks (0%-5.2%)
  • Leak associated mortality (6%-17%)
  • Gastrointestinal haemorrhage (0.5%-5%)
  • Intestinal hernias and small bowel obstruction (3.6%)
  • Stomal Stenosis (0.6%-27%)
  • Stomal Ulcer (0.4%-16%)
  • Dumping Syndrome with Hypoglycemia
  • Nesidioblastosis