RT Journal Article
T1 Unusual Late-Onset Wernicke’s Encephalopathy Following Vertical Banded Gastroplasty
A1 Puerta, Jesus
A1 Miguel A. Rubio, 
A1 Sánchez Pernaute, Andrés
A1 Pérez Aguirre, María Elia
A1 Casanova, Ignacio
A1 Torres García, Antonio José
A1 Cabrerizo García, Lucio
A1 Rubio Herrera, Miguel Ángel
AB Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) related to bariatric surgery is the consequence of thiamine depletion occurring usually after restrictive surgical procedures with gastric outlet impairment causing frequent vomiting. We present a 35-year-old man with body mass index of 47.2 who developed a WE 7 years after a vertical banded gastroplasty. Late stenosis of the outlet due to gastric band inclusion was the precipitating mechanism. Poor compliance of dietary pattern and vitamin supplementation along with episodic vomiting both contributed to progressive symptoms of instable gait and mental changes. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of WE by showing hyperintense T2 signals at the mammillary bodies. Recovery of symptoms was possible after early thiamine therapy. Unusual late-onset symptoms and contributing factors to WE are discussed.
PB Springer
SN 0960-8923
YR 2009
FD 2009-05-05
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/117179
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/117179
LA eng
NO Velasco MV, Casanova I, Sanchez-Pernaute A, Pérez-Aguirre E, Torres A, Puerta J, Cabrerizo L, Rubio MA. Unusual late-onset Wernicke's encephalopathy following vertical banded gastroplasty. Obes Surg. 2009 Jul;19(7):937-40. doi: 10.1007/s11695-009-9841-7. Epub 2009 May 5. PMID: 19415403.
DS Docta Complutense
RD 6 sept 2025