Women Experience Fewer Problems Than Men With Gastric Bypass Surgery

A recent study analyzed complication risks for gastric bypass patients and found that women may face fewer risks than men when having weight loss surgery.

Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center reviewed data from 38,000 people who had gastric bypass surgery between 2006 and 2009. The study looked at complications, hospitalizations, readmissions and hospital costs for the first month following the gastric bypass. Researchers also analyzed gender, race, age and the health status of patients before surgery.

The study found that:

• Women have 25% fewer complications after gastric bypass than men
• Women have one-third fewer ICU admissions than men
• Women are five times less likely to die after having gastric bypass surgery than men

Researchers did note that men were nearly twice as likely to have obesity-related medical conditions before having surgery, which has been linked to a higher risk of complication.

This study also revealed that African-Americans have slightly higher rates of post-surgical complications than Caucasians, while Hispanics have slightly lower lower rates than Caucasians. Although it’s not clear what role race plays in affecting surgery risks, researchers believed that being aware of increased risk could help bariatric surgeons take the necessary precautions to make gastric bypass surgery safer.