Gastric bypass surgery is often recommended to people that need to lose large amounts of weight to maintain an adequate health status. However, gastric bypass surgery comes with many risks to the patient. The operation is invasive and requires extensive surgical techniques. The surgery requires banding, stapling and rerouting of the intestines to change the way that food is normally processed.
Gastric bypass malpractice is a reasonable concern for any patient considering gastric bypass surgery. Individuals should always consider other methods for losing weight before deciding on gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass malpractice is also a concern for anyone who has already had gastric bypass surgery. There are two ways that gastric bypass surgery is performed. Gastric bypass malpractice can result from either of these techniques.
Gastric Bypass Surgery Techniques
The first type is a surgical procedure performed using anesthesia and the stomach is divided by the surgeon into a smaller upper and larger lower section with staples similar to stitches. The upper section of the stomach, which is called the pouch, is changed to be the main part that holds food. When the stomach is divided, the surgeon circumvents the lower section and connects a section of the intestine to the upper pouch of the stomach. This way, there is less food required for the stomach to reach capacity.
Another technique involves the use of a laparoscope. This is a less invasive surgical procedure for gastric bypass surgery and, therefore, has a less of a chance of gastric bypass malpractice. This technique decreases the risk of developing scars and hernias after the procedure. For this technique, small incisions are made and a camera is used so the surgeon does not need to perform the more extensive surgical technique. However, not all gastric bypass patients are good candidates for this technique.
Gastric Bypass Malpractice Statistics
Over 140,000 people opt for gastric bypass surgery every year. According to research, many people who have had gastric bypass surgery have died within 30 days after the operation. The statistic is as high as 1 in every 50 patients who had gastric bypass surgery have suffered gastric bypass malpractice severe enough to cause death.
About 3 percent of patients with gastric bypass malpractice were younger than 40 years old and died in less than 13 years after their surgery. After 15 years, nearly 12 percent of patients with gastric bypass malpractice died. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of gastric bypass patients require follow-up treatment for gastric bypass malpractice.
Gastric bypass malpractice is most common for treating hernias. One third of all gastric bypass patients also require follow-up surgery for gallstones developed from the gastric bypass operation. Many other gastric bypass malpractice cases are from leaks, ulcers and infections including deep thrombo-phlebitis. Gastric bypass malpractice cases are increasing every year because of these numerous complications.
The main reason being cited for these problems are inexperienced surgeons. Many surgeons fail to diagnose and treat leakage of gastric fluid, pulmonary embolisms, and gastric bleeding. Many of these problems could have easily been resolved with proper medical screening.
Gastric Bypass Malpractice Symptoms
Gastric bypass patients often suffer from both operative and post-operative complications. There are many possible symptoms that can result from gastric bypass malpractice. Gastric bypass patients often notice these signs very easily. The death rate from gastric bypass malpractice is also a very considerable cause for concern. This risk increases with the level of surgeon inexperience.
Gastric bypass malpractice symptoms include:
- Post-operation infections
- Digestive problems
- Reduced nutritional intake
- Separation of the reattached intestine
- Gallstones
- Iron deficiency
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency
- Mineral deficiency
- Protein deficiency
- Marginal ulcerations
- Gastritis
- Stomach or intestinal bleeding
Orlando Gastric Bypass Malpractice Lawyer
Along with these symptoms, gastric bypass patients can also suffer complications from the administration of anesthesia. Results of gastric bypass malpractice from anesthesia can be very damaging. Some of the problems from anesthesia related gastric bypass malpractice are heart attack, brain damage, stroke and sometimes death.
Sources:
Casey, BE, KC Civello, LF Martin, and JP O’Leary. “The medical malpractice risk associated with bariatric surgery..” National Center for Biotechnology Information. 9.5 (1999): 420-425. Web. 18 Sep. 2013. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10605897>.
Cottam, D., J. Lord, RM. Dallal, B. Wolfe, K. Higa, K. McCauley, and P. Schauer. “Medicolegal analysis of 100 malpractice claims against bariatric surgeons..” National Center for Biotechnology Information. 3.1 (2007): 60-66. Web. 18 Sep. 2013. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17196438>.