There's no denying that gastric bypass surgery is popular. According to a study published in the October 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, just over 13,000 gastric bypass surgeries were performed in 1998. By 2002, that number had increased fivefold to just over 72,000—and in 2010, it was predicted, more than 102,000 obese patients will undergo the procedure.

Gastric bypass, also known as bariatric surgery, involves stapling, banding or rerouting the stomach and small intestine. The most common type of gastric bypass is the Roux-en-Y procedure, in which the surgeon creates a small pouch in the stomach and attaches it directly to the small intestine. After the surgery the patient loses weight because the stomach is able to hold less food and the bypass of part of the small intestine means that fewer calories are absorbed.

Although the results of gastric bypass surgery can be dramatic—as pictures of NBC Today's Al Roker and singer Carnie Wilson prove—so, too, can the complications. Another study published in the October 2005 issue of JAMA revealed that when an inexperienced surgeon performs the procedure, patients are 1.6 times more likely to die within 90 days of the surgery than patients whose procedures were performed by experienced surgeons.

That's not all. A third study in the October 2005 issue of JAMA showed that patients who underwent gastric bypass surgery had double the rate of hospitalization in the year after surgery as they did in the year before the surgery—and complications of gastric bypass surgery were the biggest reason.

Inexperience on the part of the surgeon and surgery on an inappropriate candidate are not the only dangers of gastric bypass procedures. Some of the most common complications are leakage of gastric fluid, pulmonary embolisms (clots that break off, travel through the bloodstream, and lodge in a lung, often resulting in sudden death), sepsis, gastric bleeding and gall bladder problems. In addition, after surgery a patient is more likely to have their intestines twist which can cut off blood supply to the intestines causing gangrene and death to the intestines. In severe cases this can lead to a stomach or intestine transplant. The physician must diagnose and treat these problems promptly to prevent further complications or even death.

The lawyers of The Lowe Law Firm are experienced in helping patients who have been hurt as a result of medical malpractice during gastric bypass and their families. We will seek compensation for past and future medical expenses, past and future wages, pain and suffering, disability and other damages. We also represent family members in wrongful death cases.

To learn more, visit our Missouri Injury Lawyer Blog.

Free Initial Consultation

We offer a free initial consultation for victims of medical malpractice in gastric bypass cases. If you cannot make it to our office, we will come to you in the hospital or visit you in your home.

Contact the lawyers at The Lowe Law Firm today by calling 877-678-3400.