Strangulation of upper jejunum in subsequent pregnancy following gastric bypass surgery

Gastric bypass is a surgical procedure that is popularly used to treat morbid obesity. Herein, we report a woman who had a rare gastrointestinal complication during the subsequent antepartum period following a gastric bypass surgery.

After a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, a 32-year-old woman had unrelenting epigastria for one week at 36 weeks' gestation. An emergency cesarean delivery, followed by laparotomy, was performed. A female neonate was delivered with Apgar scores of 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. Strangulation and gangrene of the upper jejunum caused by a fibrous band at the site of the Roux anastomosis were revealed. Segmental resection of the nonviable bowel was performed. The patient experienced a smooth postoperative course.

The awareness of internal hernias and small bowel strangulation should be addressed when unrelenting epigastric pain is present in women after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, during their first subsequent pregnancy.