For morbidly obese individuals, the concept of obesity surgery (a.k.a. bariatric surgery) may sound like a godsend, but it’s not a solution — it’s only the first step down a long and arduous road to weight loss and recovery. On top of the impending pain, strict dietary regime, and long healing time associated with the surgery, patients have yet another hassle to deal with — a plethora a surgery complications.
According to a new study, four out of 10 patients who underwent obesity surgery developed some sort of complication within a mere six months of leaving the hospital. The study, from the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is the most extensive of its kind on post-surgical complications due to this type of surgery. Researchers gleaned the information from insurance claims data. Note that the study is the largest of its kind to date.
According to the researchers, the complication rate among patients who were not elderly and undergoing obesity surgery went up by an astonishing 81% after leaving the hospital. Looking at a 180-day period, the researchers also noted that 21.9% of the individuals experienced complications while still in the hospital. On top of this, 39.6% of the individuals who underwent bariatric surgery experienced problems by the end of the 180 days.
The main five complications that the researches noted included the following:
– Dumping syndrome (includes vomiting, reflux, and diarrhea) at almost 20%. — Anastomosis complications (includes complications that occur due to the surgical joining of the intestine and stomach, resulting in leaks or strictures) at 12%. — Abdominal hernias at seven percent. — Infections at six percent. — Pneumonia at four percent.
Also note that the overall death rate due to complications from bariatric surgery, as noted in the study, came in at a low 0.2% for the entire 180-day postoperative period the researchers looked at. Keep in mind that most studies only look at 30 days after a surgery has been performed, whereas the researchers looked at a period of six months, thus widening the scope of the effects of the procedure.
When it came to the results of the study, AHRQ’s director, Carolyn M. Clancy, MD, stated that, “Obesity surgery is helping thousands of Americans who have not succeeded at losing weight reduce their risk of diabetes and other life- threatening diseases, but this study shows how important it is for patients to consider the potential complications when they make the decision to undergo the procedure.”
She also added that, “The study also should give clinicians information that will help them make improvements in the procedure and post-surgical care.”
Along to the overwhelming costs to one’s health, you may also want to note the associated economic costs of the dangerous complications that are associated with obesity surgery as well.
For starters, the cost of medical care averaged out to $36,542 for patients who had this surgery and experienced complications up to six months following surgery. This figure includes the individual’s initial hospital stay. The cost without complications came to about $25,337 — however for a patient who experienced complications and was remitted to the hospital, this figure jumped, on average, to $65,031.
To say the very least, if you are contemplating bariatric surgery, or your doctor has recommended that you undergo the procedure, make sure that you take the time to thoroughly research the statistics and all pertinent information before making your decision.
While this surgery has changed the lives of many obese individuals, helping ease off problems with diabetes and cardiovascular health, for example, there are many complications and risks involved as well. It’s your health, be proactive about it.
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Tags: obesity, quick weight loss
