Gastric Bypass Errors

Gastric bypass surgery is a surgical weight loss procedure that is designed to reduce the size of the patients' stomach, which means less food is required to satisfy the appetite. Because less food is consumed, less calories are ingested which generally leads to weight loss, or control over one's weight. Gastric bypass surgery is a medical weight loss solution that is commonly utilized by obese individuals for a variety of reasons including fighting obesity-related diseases such as diabetes.

Explanation of the Gastric Bypass Surgery Process

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, the gastric bypass is typically divided into two separate sections. Before either begins, the patient will be placed under general anesthesia which will allow them to slip into unconsciousness – and will effectively allow them to be asleep and pain-free throughout the procedure.

In an open surgery, the surgeon will make an incision and will effectively staple the patient's stomach shut. They will divide the stomach and make it smaller, typically able to hold only an ounce of food at a time. After this is completed, the surgeon will make a cut into the small intestine which will allow for fewer calories to be absorbed during the digestive process.

The other alternative for a gastric bypass is known as a laparoscopy. This is much less invasive and instead utilizes a small camera which is inserted through small cuts made on the stomach of the patient. Guided by the camera, the surgeon will be able to use thin tools to accomplish what was accomplished through the open surgery, without the need to completely cut open the stomach. This results in a quicker recovery period, as well as less pain following the surgery and smaller scars.

The process, while proven effective, is not completely safe. In fact, there are a few inherent risks that are assumed. This includes bad reactions to the anesthesia or medications, blood clots and / or loss, difficulty breathing while under anesthesia, as well as a heart attack or stroke. There is also the chance of other surgical errors, such as leaving surgical tools behind.

Have you suffered from gastric bypass malpractice?

This weight loss procedure is not without its own risks as a significant number of patients may experience complications. When these complications are a result of negligence on the part of surgeons or other healthcare professionals, then this is referred to as gastric bypass malpractice. This type of negligence most commonly occurs when a doctor fails to properly screen a patient for gastric bypass surgery, if a surgeon commits an error during the procedure, or if healthcare professionals fail to provide adequate care in post-surgery recovery. Victims of gastric bypass errors need to be aware of the potential dangers associated with their personal injuries, and should consult a medical malpractice attorney who has fought and won.