Imaging in bariatric surgery: service set-up, post-operative anatomy and complications

Obesity is an increasingly prevalent and costly problem faced by the healthcare system. The role of bariatric surgery in managing obesity has also increased with evidence showing a reduction in long-term morbidity and mortality. There are unique challenges faced by the radiology department in providing an imaging service for this population of patients, from technical and staffing requirements through to the interpretation of challenging post-surgical images. We describe these challenges and provide an overview of the most frequently performed procedures, normal post-operative imaging findings and the appearance of common complications.