Unusual cause of bowel obstruction after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Abstract

As obesity continues to become an epidemic in the United States, bariatric surgery is becoming more common. The advancement of laparoscopic bariatric surgery has caused general surgeons to face different complications in patients after bariatric surgery. These complications can be very specific to the operation performed. To the authors’ knowledge, they are presenting the first report of acute small bowel obstruction related to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy 1 year before presentation. Proximal small bowel obstruction in patients who had laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is likely to be related to thick adhesions to the actual sleeve or staple line.