Thiamine deficiency in an adolescent following bariatric surgery

Abstract

Adolescent obesity is a growing health epidemic in the United States and is associated with numerous comorbidities. Bariatric surgery has become an effective intervention for the management of severe obesity in adolescent patients. These procedures, however, are not without possible adverse complications, including vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Here we review the case of a teenage girl who presented on several occasions to the Emergency Department with nausea, vomiting, headaches and abdominal pain after a sleeve gastrectomy procedure. Her clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of Thiamine Deficiency post-sleeve gastrectomy is discussed.

Keywords

• Childhood obesity
• Bariatric surgery
• Thiamine deficiency
• Gastric sleeve
• Complications