Patients who choose bariatric surgery for weight loss frequently have temporary success with weight loss, but this success should be weighed against the increased risks with bariatric surgery.
One risk which is not routinely evaluated prior to surgery is the risk of developing a life-threatening blood clot in the lungs, known as a PE (pulmonary embolism). Physicians are aware that overweight and obese patients have greater risk of developing a blood clot in the leg, known as a DVT (deep venous thrombosis). If a leg blood clot breaks off and sends the clot to the lungs, the result could be death.
Recently, a group of surgeons at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill evaluated patients prior to surgery and discovered that patients had special risk factors causing a higher risk of developing lethal blood clots.Prevalence of thrombophilias in patients presenting for bariatric surgery.
If you choose to have bariatric surgery, ask the bariatric physician who is performing pre-op evaluations to check for risk factors for blood clots. They don’t normally check these tests, unless you ask. The life you save may be your own.