Side effects can occur after any surgical procedure and the same is true for bariatric surgery as well. These can be grouped as immediate, early and delayed. In the following article, we will discuss about the immediate and early side effects of surgery.
Immediate side effects- These are the side effects which can occur at the time of surgery and include the following-
Bleeding is a complication which can occur in any surgical procedure and can also happen during bariatric surgery. A lot of high end equipments are used during bariatric surgery like harmonic, ligasure and stapling guns which minimize the risk of bleeding but cannot avoid it completely. Bleeding during the procedure has to be located accurately and controlled immeditely. If the bleeding is more, there can be significant loss of blood and can necessitate blood transfusion. Sometimes bleeding happens after the procedure is completed and may cause pain and swelling of the abdomen, dizziness and black coloured stools. This type of bleeding has to be detected by ultrasound or CT scan and controlled at the earliest to avoid further risk.
Leakage can occur after bariatric procedures which involve cutting and stapling part of the stomach and small intestine. It may be because of faulty technique, stapler failure or may be the result of improper healing of tissues. If it is detected at the time of surgery by a leakage test, it has to be repaired meticulously. This avoids any problem in the future for the patient. In case leakage is detected some days after the procedure, it mostly requires ac orrective surgery which as to done as soon as possible.
Injury to other organs such as liver, spleen, pancreas and intestine can occur during the procedure. This injury should be identified and treated appropriately.
Some side effects can occur as a result of anaesthesia which include lung collapse and infection, airway injury and delayed recovery from anaesthesia. These side effects require treatment in the form of medicines and usually recovery is complete.
Early side effects-Pain after surgery is a common side effect and is usually self limited. It is managed by giving pain killer injections or tablets and subsides with time. Mostly, the pain is limited to 24 to 48 hours and very rarely do patients complain of pain after discharge from the hospital. However, if the pain is severe and persists beyond 2-3 days then requires further investigation to determine the exact cause of pain.
Vomiting after bariatric surgery occurs most commonly in the initial few days when patients begin their diet. It also subsides with time when patients adapt to their new anatomy and learn to eat in the prescribed manner. Once the patients learn to eat small portions of food slowly, then the chances of vomiting diminish and rarely does it persist beyond 2-3 months.
Dehydration after bariatric surgery can occur in the initial few days because of decreased intake of food and fluids. This coupled with vomiting can increase the fluid loss from the body leading to dehydration. Mostly, this can be corrected by increasing the fluid intake. If it is severe, it may require admission to the hospital to administer intravenous fluids.
Blood clot formation can occur during or immediately after surgery which can cause swelling of the legs with pain and bluish discolouration. This can detected easily by clinical examination and confirmed by a colour ultrasound of the lower limbs. It can be corrected with tablets and injections which may need to be administered for a prolonged period. If this problem resolves, it doesn’t cause any long term damage or side effects.