Complications of gastric bypass are fortunately rare, but are important to know.

 It is essential to evaluate the operational risk compared to the anticipated profits of gastroplasty,  
   before taking the decision to have an operation.

 This risk is related to your medical history (cardiac, pulmonary…) and with the procedure (surgery and anaesthesia).

First week

Operational complications are possible, they can bring to stop the procedure : perforation, haemorrhage, joinings between the intestinal handles making impossible the rise of a handle to the stomach, impossibility of intubation of the trachea. Two anastomoses are carried out, with the risk of fistulisation, requiring a new intervention, and of haemorrhage. They are serious complications, with a vital pronostic. The phlebitis and pulmonary embolisms are prevented by the use of anticoagulant drugs with low dose and the port of special socks.

First month

An infection on the level of a small scar is possible.

After the first month

Nutritional deficiencies are possible :  Particularly Calcium, iron, folates and B12 vitamin. They can be responsible for an anaemia. They are avoided by an additional contribution by oral way and regular blood analysis.    Gastric ulcer :   It is avoided by specific drugs.      Anastomosis stenosis :  It is revealed by brutal vomiting. It requires radiographies and a scanner to make the diagnosis.     Bowel obstruction :  It is revealed by brutal vomiting. It requires radiographies and a scanner to make the diagnosis.

Failure of bypass

Seldom the failure is complete : minim weight loss, ingestion in large quantity of liquid foods (soups) or compulsive nibbling all the day. These food behavioral problems are often - but not always - detectable during the assessment before the intervention. These people should not have been operated, or should have profited from a food rehabilitation during several months before the surgical procedure. In other case, one speaks about failure when : The weight loss is lower than 50% of the weight excess. The patient is unhappy with his bypass : decreased food comfort, too rigorous dietetic rules, too demanding follow-up. These failures stress the importance of the assessment before the intervention, the good knowledge of the food constraints and the anticipated results of gastroplasty.