Good Nutrition May Prevent Polyneuropathy After Bariatric Surgery

With the rising popularity of bariatric surgery, there is an increasing need for patients and their doctors to recognize and prevent the potential complications from this weight loss procedure. Neurological complications are one of the risks, and recent studies show that appropriate preventative measures and a multidisciplinary approach can largely prevent the development of postoperative nerve damage, also known as peripheral neuropathy (PN).

In previous studies, researchers showed that PN can occur after bariatric surgery and be of three types: mononeuropathy, sensory predominant polyneuropathy, and radiculoplexus neuropathy. Malnutrition was the major risk factor for sensory predominant polyneuropathy but not the other subtypes. Nutritional deficiencies can occur following bariatric surgery due to patients not taking multivitamins, experiencing more weight loss than expected, and postoperative complications.

The authors performed a retrospective, cohort study in all patients having bariatric surgery at a select clinic between 1985 and 2002, with follow-up. Potential risk factors were analyzed using life table methods. Of 393 eligible patients with bariatric surgery, 26 (7%) developed PN. The authors observed the same three patterns of PN found previously; the majority were mononeuropathies (21 patients, 81%). Univariate life table analysis showed the following risk factors: increased serum glycosylated hemoglobin and triglycerides, prolonged duration of hospital stay, postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as nausea and vomiting. PN occurred less frequently and specifically the sensory predominant polyneuropathy subtype occurred less frequently than in a prior cohort.

Source: American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine