Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria (Sep 2012)

Neurological complications following bariatric surgery

  • Yara Dadalti Fragoso,
  • Soniza Vieira Alves-Leon,
  • Andréa de Carvalho Anacleto,
  • Joseph Bruno Bidin Brooks,
  • Paulo Diniz da Gama,
  • Sidney Gomes,
  • Marcus Vinicius Magno Gonçalves,
  • Katia Lin,
  • Josiane Lopes,
  • Damacio Ramon Kaimen-Maciel,
  • Fabiola Haschid Malfetano,
  • Gladys Lentz Martins,
  • Francisco Tomaz Menezes de Oliveira,
  • Leonardo Dornas Oliveira,
  • Rachel Schlindwein-Zanini

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2012000900010
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 70, no. 9
pp. 700 – 703

Abstract

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OBJECTIVE: It was to report on Brazilian cases of neurological complications from bariatric surgery. The literature on the subject is scarce. METHOD: Cases attended by neurologists in eight different Brazilian cities were collected and described in the present study. RESULTS: Twenty-six cases were collected in this study. Axonal polyneuropathy was the most frequent neurological complication, but cases of central demyelination, Wernicke syndrome, optical neuritis, radiculits, meralgia paresthetica and compressive neuropathies were also identified. Twenty-one patients (80%) had partial or no recovery from the neurological signs and symptoms. CONCLUSION: Bariatric surgery, a procedure that is continuously increasing in popularity, is not free of potential neurological complications that should be clearly presented to the individual undergoing this type of surgery. Although a clear cause-effect relation cannot be established for the present cases, the cumulative literature on the subject makes it important to warn the patient of the potential risks of this procedure.

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