Acute Abdominal Pain in the Bariatric Surgery Patient

Kyle D Lewis; Katrin Y Takenaka; Samuel D Luber

doi:10.1016/j.emc.2015.12.004

Acute Abdominal Pain in the Bariatric Surgery Patient

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2016 May;34(2):387-407. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2015.12.004. Epub 2016 Mar 22.

Authors

Kyle D Lewis¹, Katrin Y Takenaka², Samuel D Luber²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin, 4th Floor, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: kyle.d.lewis@uth.tmc.edu.
² Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin, 4th Floor, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

PMID: 27133251
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2015.12.004

Abstract

Obesity is present in epidemic proportions in the United States, and bariatric surgery has become more common. Thus, emergency physicians will undoubtedly encounter many patients who have undergone one of these procedures. Knowledge of the anatomic changes specific to these procedures aids the clinician in understanding potential complications and devising an organized differential diagnosis. This article reviews common bariatric surgery procedures, their complications, and the approach to acute abdominal pain in these patients.

Keywords: Anastomotic leak; Anastomotic stenosis; Band erosion; Band slippage; Dilatation; Gastric prolapse; Hernia; Stomal ulcer.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Abdominal Pain* / diagnosis
Abdominal Pain* / etiology
Acute Disease
Bariatric Surgery / adverse effects*
Bariatric Surgery / methods
Diagnosis, Differential
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / diagnosis
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / etiology
Humans
Postoperative Complications / diagnosis*
Postoperative Complications / etiology