The number of gastric bypass surgeries performed in the United States has increased since Americans have become both increasingly health and weight conscious.
Unfortunately, the number of resulting injuries and death has also increased with gastric bypass surgeries. News reports have noted that patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery face a “considerably higher risk” than previously reported.
The number of these operations, also known as bariatric surgeries, has increased rapidly and in recent years has surpassed 200,000 performed annually in the United States.
Yet while the popularity of the weight-loss operation rises, so does the number of complications.
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 2 percent (1 in every 50) gastric bypass surgery patients died within 30 days of their operations.
Almost 5 percent (1 in 20) died within a year. Complications range from infection, incisional hernia, ulcers, blood clots in the lungs, and internal leaking or peritonitis.
Another study noted that post-surgical adverse events occurred even more in older patients, with problems in almost one in three patients 65 and older. In younger patients, the trait was only 8 percent.
A study performed by the University of Washington in Seattle found that those most at risk were men, people older than 65, and patients who used surgeons who had less experience performing the stomach surgeries.
According to some reports, one cause of injuries is inexperienced doctors rushing into the lucrative field to perform the increasingly popular surgery, which typically costs between $25,000 and $30,000.
If you or a loved one suffered injury or death as a result of gastric bypass surgery, contact us today. You may be entitled to compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Call us toll-free 1-888-GARRETT (1-888-427-7388) or fill out our contact form for a free legal consultation.
