Fat and Blood Clots after Weightloss Surgery

FAT & BLOOD CLOTS MAY RESULT FROM WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
Bariatric surgery and other weight-loss operations have become immensely popular as of late among the morbidly obese. According to sources, more than 100,000 people who were at least 100 pounds over their target weight underwent gastric bypass surgery last year. These are people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) rating of 35-40 who are carefully screened to help prevent possible complications from arising. Still, as with any type of procedure, there are risks to weight loss surgery no matter how careful you are.

One of the more common and more dangerous side effects is the occurrence of fat and blood clots after weight loss surgery. Experts predict that there is about a 1% chance that a fat or blood clot will form following Bariatric surgery, usually in the legs. This can be prevented by providing a blood thinner, such as heparin, to the patient before the surgery, afterwards, or both. Another way to help prevent this problem from arising is by using elastic surgical stockings. Elastic surgical stockings help by compressing the legs, thus forcing the blood to flow more quickly through the veins. Clots can also be prevented to a degree if the doctor completes the operation promptly, then has the patient stand and walk as soon as possible following the surgery.

Blood clotting after gastric bypass surgery can result in swelling or leg pain. They can also cause what is known as a pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot forms in the legs, usually the thigh or calf, then breaks off and gets caught in the lungs. If the clot is large enough, it can cause shortness of breath or block blood flow into the lungs. This can be fatal, but rarely occurs -- less than 1% of those who undergo gastric bypass surgery are said to have suffered one, although the risk increases with older or increasingly obese patients.

What are the signs of a possible pulmonary embolism? Patients can expect to experience sharp, sudden chest pain and shortness of breath. The pain usually becomes more severe if the patient coughs or breathes deeply. He or she may begin to sweat and find his or her heart rate and anxiety levels increasing. Lastly, the patient may begin to cough up blood. If you begin to notice these symptoms following weight loss surgery, be sure and consult your doctor and begin treatment programs as necessary.