The Spectrum of Neurological Complications after Bariatric Surgery – Review of the Literature

Abstract

Bariatric surgery represents one of the most efficient treatments addressing obesity and its associated complications with an increasing trend. Even if the medical benefits for patients are huge, due to weight loss and despite technical improvements in bariatric procedures, it is still associated with diverse types of complications. Most of the complications appear due to nutrient deficiency, as absorption is compromised after surgical anatomy modification. Neurological complications after bariatric surgery are very diverse with an occurrence within days to years after surgery, most frequently in patients with gastrointestinal or surgical complications. Any segment of the nervous system can be affected with distinct types of manifestations ranging from peripheral axonal neuropathy, nerve palsy secondary to compartment syndrome, encephalopathy, and myelopathy, to psychiatric and demyelinating central nervous system diseases. Identifying patients at risk and systematic screening for nutrient deficiency with proper supplementation is essential for preventing neurological complications and lifelong sequelae. In this paper, we present the spectrum of neurological complications reported after bariatric surgery.