Autopsy findings following gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity.

Abstract

In patients who die after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, half die due to technical complications, whereas the other half die of complications of their obesity. Clinically, only 20% of patients were suspected to have pulmonary emboli, yet at autopsy, 80% of patients had pulmonary emboli. In morbidly obese patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, there is an unexpectedly high rate of clinically silent pulmonary emboli contributing to morbidity and mortality.