Key result
A 32-year-old woman developed severe hypoalbuminemia 2.5 years after mini gastric bypass surgery, which was successfully corrected with a high-protein diet, protein supplements, and albumin injections.
Why the study?
Bariatric surgery effectively manages severe obesity and comorbidities, but it may lead to nutritional complications such as severe hypoalbuminemia.
Case Report (n=1)
May warrant monitoring for late hypoalbuminemia after mini gastric bypass; single case leaves open questions on incidence and prevention.
Background Severe obesity is a major public health issue affecting health and life expectancy. Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective treatments for managing severe obesity, facilitating significant weight loss, and improving or resolving comorbid conditions like type 2 diabetes (T2DM), hypertension (HTN), and sleep apnea. However, despite successful weight loss, it may lead to nutritional complications, including hypoalbuminemia, anemia, hypocalcemia, and pancytopenia. Case Presentation: A 32-year-old woman with a BMI of 42.5 kg/m² underwent mini gastric bypass surgery with a 150 cm biliopancreatic limb (BPL). Post-surgery, her weight decreased to 66 kg, resulting in a 120% reduction in BMI. Approximately 2.5 years later, she developed weakness, lethargy, and difficulty performing daily activities. Clinical evaluations revealed significant hypoalbuminemia. The patient received only two injections of albumin, and has been treated with a high-protein diet and daily protein supplements since then, which corrected the hypoalbuminemia. Conclusion: BPL length, type of surgery, and patient age and gender should all be considered for selecting patients for bariatric surgery in order to minimize complications like hypoalbuminemia. If complications occur, the initial management should focus on nutritional interventions. Surgical revision, such as reopening the anastomosis, should be considered only when conservative treatments fail. This case underscores the importance of careful surgical planning, thorough evaluation, and adherence to nutritional protocols to prevent complications.
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Shojaei et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Severe obesity and post-bariatric surgery hypoalbuminemia (n=1). Mini gastric bypass surgery was evaluated on Development and correction of severe hypoalbuminemia. A 32-year-old woman developed severe hypoalbuminemia 2.5 years after mini gastric bypass surgery, which was successfully corrected with a high-protein diet, protein supplements, and albumin injections.
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