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Weight-Loss Surgery Tied to Increased Risk of Fracture

Posted on Jun 11, 2011

A new study suggests the link between a weight-loss surgery and bone fractures is greater than previously believed.

The Endocrine Society now claims that the risk of fracture increases 2.3 times after bariatric surgeries -- an umbrella term for various weight-loss procedures, such as gastric bypass. A prior study held the increased risk at 1.8 times. When it comes to the hands and feet, the risk of fracture is even greater: a 3-fold increase with bariatric surgery.

The study was conducted on 258 patients who went through bariatric surgery. Over the course of nine years, 79 patients had 132 fractures. The first fracture usually occurred after six years. Still, the more active patients faced a lower risk of fracture.

The author of the study, Kelly Nakamura of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, noted this post-surgical risk is an important consideration for patients before they decide to undergo surgery. The study did not find a correlation between osteoporosis and the bone fractures that were linked to bariatric surgery. Therefore, osteoporosis drugs for bariatric patients were not recommended.

The causal link has yet to be determined, and the study's authors called for further studies. Additionally, the principal investigator, Dr. Kurt Kennel, recommended several alleviatory measures, such as, "fall prevention and optimizing calcium and vitamin D nutrition." Dr. Kennel is an assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic's endocrinology division.

As a practicing medical malpractice attorney in New York, I deal with the unintended consequences of medical procedures like these every day. If you would like more information about how medical malpractice cases work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website. If you have legal questions, pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at lawmed10@yahoo.com to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.

Gerry practices law exclusively in the State of New York. Within New York he practices primarily in the following counties: New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk. Technically, Brooklyn is known as "Kings County," and Manhattan and New York City are known as "New York County." Staten Island is known as "Richmond County." These counties make up the New York metropolitan area.