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The Effects of Stomach Stapling

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the obesity rate increased to 30.9 percent in 2000 from 14.5 percent in 1971. As a result, bariatric procedures including gastric bypass surgery, colloquially known as stomach stapling, are on the rise. These procedures are a lifeline for morbidly obese patients, but complications and side effects dampen enthusiasm for the positive effects of the surgery.

  1. Weight Loss

    • There is no doubt that gastric bypass works as a drastic and rapid weight loss solution. Patients record weight loss of up to 100 pounds in the first year, but physicians screen candidates for the procedure to ensure that prospective patients understand that the gaudy numbers do not represent a quick fix. Gastric bypass is considered a life saving intervention. It is not a cosmetic procedure.

    Reversal of Obesity Related Conditions

    • Type 2 diabetes in morbidly obese patients is common and reversible. Gastric bypass reverses the condition in significant numbers of patients according to Walter Pories, MD, of East Carolina University. His 20-year study showed that 80 percent of bypass patients showed a complete reversal of type 2 diabetes provided they kept their weight under control in the years after the surgery. Additionally, patients in the study were able to reduce or eliminate medications for hyper tension and high cholesterol. Most were also able to sleep without the aid of a C-Pap machine, which is used for obesity related sleep apnea, after losing weight from the surgery.

    Increased Life Expectancy

    • There are dangers inherent in any major surgery, and gastric bypass surgery has mortality rates that are troubling. A study published in the October 2004 edition of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that a higher than expected 2 percent of patients died within 30 days of having the surgery. However, the study also showed that 27 percent fewer patients who had the surgery had died as of the 15 year follow up compared with the control group who did not have the surgery.

    Side Effects

    • Risks specific to gastric bypass patients following surgery include vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hernia at the incision site and gall or kidney stones, according to the Mayo Clinic. Rare but serious complications include pneumonia, blood clots and leaking at the staple lines in the stomach.

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