Late micronutrient deficiency and neurological dysfunction after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a case report

• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2012.10
• Publication Date: 2012-02-08T16:36:33Z
• Authors: V Scarano; M Milone; M N D Di Minno; G Panariello; S Bertogliatti; M Terracciano; V Orlando; C Florio; M Leongito; R Lupoli; F Milone; M Musella
• Keywords: Sleeve gastrectomy; Micronutrient deficiency; Weight Loss Surgery; Wernicke's encephalopathy

Although the micronutrient deficiencies and the related neurological manifestations are widely reported after malabsorbitive weight loss surgery, little is known about cerebral dysfunction secondary to micronutrient impairment in subjects undergoing restrictive interventions (that is, sleeve gastrectomy). We describe a case of a 27-year-old woman with a late development of a Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) and of severe polyneuropathy following a sleeve gastrectomy without any sleeve stenosis. The impact of WE after bariatric surgery is significantly underestimated. Such a risk should be taken into consideration also after restrictive weight loss surgery. Thus, surgeon/clinicians involved in bariatric patients management must be aware of neurological sequelae related to this intervention.