Gastric bypass surgery is a medical procedure practiced to offer long term relief to sufferers of morbid obesity. Though a beneficial process it is associated with dangerous complications including death. Few patients may have to undergo repeated surgeries to correct the complications developed after initial surgery.
Gastric bypass surgery is a medical procedure practiced to offer long term relief to sufferers of morbid obesity. Though a beneficial process it is associated with dangerous complications including death. Few patients may have to undergo repeated surgeries to correct the complications developed after initial surgery.
Any negligence in identification of post-operative complications such as bleeding and hernia may result in long-term injury or even death. Hence, gastric bypass surgery demands highly professional surgeons.
What is gastric bypass surgery?
It is a surgical procedure involving creation of small stomach pouch linked directly to small intestine circumventing the stomach and duodenum. The procedure causes weight loss by restricting the amount of food intake and by preventing absorption of fat in the duodenum.
Various techniques for gastric bypass surgery
Major techniques adopted for gastric bypass surgery includes open Roux-en-Y (RNY) and the Laproscopic Roux-en-Y. The open route procedure is an invasive procedure involving division of stomach in to smaller upper and lower larger pouches using staples. The upper pouch of stomach that holds the food is directly connected to the intestines bypassing the lower pouch reducing the stomach capacity.
Another less invasive procedure extensively used is laparoscopic procedure with lower risk than open route. With only a small incision being made the risk for scars and hernia is less. However, not all obese patients can undergo laparoscopic procedure.
Complications associated with gastric bypass surgery
Negligence during performing the surgery results in complications such as leakage of gastric fluids at the suture or stapling line, leading to infection, swelling, and even death. Symptoms such as pain in back, throbbing pain in stomach that continues for days after surgery, trouble breathing and increased urination signal leakage of gastric fluids. When gastric leakage is not diagnosed and treated it causes death.
Other major complications associated with gastric bypass surgery include formation of clots in lungs, heart attack, problems of kidney, internal bleeding, formation of stones in gall bladder, hernia and need for follow-up surgeries to correct the complications. Poor diagnosis of any of these complications can prove to be life-threatening.
Few other complications such as swelling of stomach lining, vomiting due to excess food intake, iron deficiency anemia, and osteoporosis due to calcium deficiency may develop due to patient’s negligence to strictly adhere to recommended dietary guidelines.
Medical malpractice in gastric bypass surgery
When the surgery is performed by an inexperienced doctor with inadequate training and if the surgery results in complications then it is considered as medical malpractice. Few other experienced doctors perform surgery without adhering to minimal standards out of greediness.
Poor diagnosis of post operative complications, ignoring patient’s complaints and not educating the patient and their families about post surgical care to be followed and warning signs to be watched for is also regarded as medical malpractice.
If you are victim of gastric bypass surgery medical malpractice contact the professional New York City medical malpractice attorneys. Schedule a free confidential consultation with an attorney to know the course of action to be taken. Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff have law offices situated in Astoria, Queens, New York City and two offices in Brooklyn. You can even call them at 212-344-1000. They do not charge until you are satisfied with the claim amount.
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