Obstructive Sleep Apnea Complicates Gastric Bypass Surgery

Obesity continues to be a leading health concern in the United States. For many individuals, obesity has led to complications in health that even affect the quality of sleep one might get each night. Of specific concern is the development of obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, which impedes breathing and results in daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

If you are obese and are considering gastric bypass surgery, the complications of obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, may serve to only further complicate your gastric bypass postoperative care. Because anesthesia is a vital part of gastric bypass surgery, obstructive sleep apnea must be addressed both before and after surgery to ensure your short-term and long-term health is protected.

Obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, is a sleep disorder that is characterized by the blockage, or occlusion, of the airway during sleep. Often, with this prolonged occlusion, the sleep apnea patient experiences a loss of oxygen saturation and is easily awakened. As a general rule, the airflow must be hindered for, at least, 10 seconds to become a case of apnea although many patients experience decreased airway flow in far less time increments.

When undergoing gastric bypass surgery, and you suffer from pre-existing obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, the post-operative period is a crucial time. Because anesthesia can lead to some adverse effects for as long as 48 hours, your surgeon may want to admit you to the hospital during this period so as to monitor and manage any airway occlusions that occur as a result of anesthesia and OSA. With anesthesia providing for sedation and respiratory depress in surgery, the effects can linger and only further complication OSA in the days after gastric bypass surgery.

As part of your pre-operative and post-operative care, the surgeon may recommend CPAP to improve your respiratory function. This use of CPAP can improve the pulmonary function far more quickly after surgery and provides for a unique approach to your surgical recovery. The use of CPAP, however, may need to begin several months before the gastric bypass surgery is completed.