Abdominal pain after gastric bypass: suspects and solutions

BackgroundGastric bypass remains the mainstay of surgical therapy for obesity. Abdominal pain after gastric bypass is common and accounts for up to half of all postoperative complaints and emergency room visits. This article reviews the most important causes of abdominal pain specific to gastric bypass and discusses management considerations.MethodsThe current surgical literature was reviewed using PubMed, with a focus on abdominal pain after gastric bypass and the known pathologies that underlie its pathogenesis.ResultsThe etiologies of abdominal pain after gastric bypass are diverse. A thorough understanding of their pathogenesis impacts favorably on clinical outcomes.ConclusionsThe differential diagnosis for abdominal pain after gastric bypass is large and includes benign and life-threatening entities. Its diverse causes require a broad evaluation that should be directed by history and clinical presentation. In the absence of a clear diagnosis, the threshold for surgical exploration in patients with abdominal pain after gastric bypass should be low.