Abdominal Pain after Gastric Bypass

Let's start with a bottom-line statement: Abdominal pain after gastric bypass (other than the early postoperative recovery) is not normal. You are not expected to have on and off severe pains, nausea or vomiting. Chronic abdominal pain is debilitating and may lead to avoiding eating, and, therefore, unnecessary malnutrition.

Here are some causes of pain after gastric bypass:

1. Bowel obstruction from internal herniation. This condition can be very serious, and may lead to loss of bowel or life. A loop of small bowel glides (herniates) into a defect inside the peritoneal cavity, then becomes trapped. The herniated loop may become strangulated, cutting off the blood supply, which could lead to death of that part of the bowel. I placed this as #1 not because it is common, but because it is probably the most serious and dreaded of all causes of later pain after abdominal surgery.

2. An ulcer, either in the pouch, on the anastomosis, or in the bypassed stomach or duodenum. Ulcers can cause not only severe pain, debilitation and malnutrition, but also may lead to bleeding. An ulcer may even perforate, causing peritonitis. Smoking and chronic intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are risk factors for the development of ulcers.

3. Gallstones and gallbladder disease.

4. Abdominal wall hernia (incisional hernia, also called ventral hernia) my entrap a loop of bowel causing severe pain. When a hernia does not reduce itself, it is called "incarcerated". An incarcerated hernia may become strangulated, cutting off the blood supply to that loop of intestine. Incisional hernias can occur after any abdominal surgery, and bariatric surgery is no exception.

It is important to not accept pain after gastric bypass surgery as a normal sequence. Make sure that you seek expert help.