For example, problems like anemia (from iron or vitamin B12 malabsorption) and certain other vitamin deficiencies are much more common in someone who has had a previous gastric bypass, compared to a non-bypass patient. Also, poor protein absorption caused by the effects of bypass surgery can result in low protein reserves and subsequent troubles with slow or impaired wound healing.
MWL patients are also more prone to have a higher rate of certain post-surgical complications. These include: wound separation, fluid accumulations under the skin known as seromas, and scars that may be more obvious in color or size compared to the non-MWL group.
Also, the MWL- patient’s skin tends to stretch out more over time, due to decreased elasticity. So, even though we pull the skin as snug as we safely can, some relapse of the lifted area can occur.
Overall, this makes surgery for MWL patients more of a challenge – but the results are usually very gratifying for both surgeon and patient alike when it is completed. We’ll discuss this topic in more detail in future blogs.