Management of Bariatric Emergencies by the General Surgeon

The epidemic of obesity affects almost all countries of the developed world and has led to a dramatic increase in the number of bariatric procedures worldwide. In the United Kingdom (UK), the adoption of weight loss surgery has been via dedicated regional bariatric centres, and there is a drive for shorter stays in hospital after surgery. Both these factors make it inevitable that almost every doctor sooner or later will encounter a patient who has undergone bariatric surgery, even if they do not work in a bariatric centre. Although safe, bariatric surgery has potential complications, which if recognised early and treated promptly can minimise the negative impact on outcomes.