What are the Risks?

All surgeries have risks. Short-term risks include:

• Bleeding/blood loss
• Blood clots
• Infection
• Leakage (when a perforation of the stomach or a leak from anywhere the bowel is stitched together has occurred)
• Difficulty in consuming liquids immediately after surgery, due to swelling around the stomach and small bowel
• Death

Long-term risks include:

• Nutritional deficiencies
• The brittle bone disease osteoporosis, due to malabsorption of calcium and vitamin D, which are needed to maintain bone strength
• Night blindness due to malabsorption of Vitamin A
• Malabsorption of protein, leading to malnutrition (which could lead to a second operation)
• Carbs can be well absorbed, resulting in inadequate weight loss
• Chronic diarrhea
• Foul-smelling stools and gas