All forms of surgery carry a certain degree of risk and complication, and bariatric weight-loss surgery is no different. If you are considering a bariatric surgical procedure, this is an area you should research more than any other. Only by fully understanding the risks vs. rewards can you make a smart decision about weight loss surgery.

Possible Bariatric Surgery Complications
Potential risks and complications of bariatric surgery can be loosely divided into two categories — general surgery risks, and those risks unique to bariatric surgery. General surgery risks include such things as risk of infection, reactions to anesthesia, allergic reactions to medicine, etc. Risks unique to bariatric surgery include vitamin deficiencies (long term), hernia in the abdominal wall, leaking of stomach acid or bacteria into the abdominal cavity, and other possible scenarios.

This is why bariatric weight-loss surgery should be a last resort, to be used only after diet and exercise have failed (and only in cases of severe obesity). In such cases, the possible rewards of bariatric surgery will often outweigh the possible risks.

Learn more: Bariatric Surgery Complications | Bariatric Surgery Risks