Bariatric Surgery Revisions Increase Risk to Patients

Bariactric surgery revisions are on the rise and they can increase the risk of  serious complications, according to a new study.

The number of Americans choosing surgery to lose weight has risen sharply in recent years, mirroring the continued increase in our nation’s obesity rate. Now, a new study indicates that there has also been an increase in bariatric revision surgeries – and that repeated procedures put patients at increased risk of complications.

 Research has shown that weight loss surgery is perhaps the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. But, although today’s procedures are safer and more effective than earlier methods, bariatric surgery is far from foolproof. Because of this, some patients must undergo repeat surgery to mend complications, such as malnutrition and blockage of the digestive tract. Ironically, such revision surgeries ultimately increase patients’ risk of even more serious complications, including acute kidney failure and pneumonia, according to a new study.

 Researchers in Greece found that repeat bariatric surgery occurs in anywhere from 5 to 56 percent of post-surgical patients and is generally associated with a higher risk of complications than the original procedure.

 The study examined outcomes for 56 patients who underwent revisional bariatric surgery between 1995 and 2008. Of these, 34 percent had serious complications within one to three months, including