Emergencies in Bariatric Surgery

The postoperative diagnosis and management of complications related to bariatric surgery requires a high degree of clinical suspicion in conjunction with swift implementation of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The most common medical complications related to bariatric surgery include venous thromboembolic events, cardiac complications, and nutritional deficiencies. These have all been observed in bariatric patients regardless of the type of surgery. The most common surgical complication related to the gastric band is band slippage, which requires take back to the operating room. The most common surgical complication related to the sleeve gastrectomy is staple line leak. Marginal ulcer, anastomotic leak, and bowel obstruction are all possible complications related to the gastric bypass. Lastly, critical care management of the bariatric patient requires particular attention to the cardiac and pulmonary effects of obesity toward respective physiologic functioning.