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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staff
Several types of stomach surgery increase your risk of dumping syndrome. These include:
- Gastrectomy, in which a portion or all of your stomach is removed. It typically includes removing the pylorus.
- Gastroenterostomy or gastrojejunostomy, in which your stomach is surgically connected directly to your small intestine about two feet beyond the pylorus, thus bypassing the pylorus. Doctors sometimes perform this operation in people with cancer of the stomach.
- Vagotomy, in which the nerves to your stomach are cut in order to lower the levels of acid manufactured by your stomach.
- Fundoplication, which is an operation sometimes performed on people with gastroesophageal reflux disease. It involves wrapping the upper portion of your stomach around the lower esophagus to apply pressure that reduces the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. However, on rare occasions, certain nerves to the stomach can unintentionally be damaged during surgery and lead to dumping syndrome.
- Gastric bypass surgery (Roux-en-Y operation), which is often performed in people who are morbidly obese. It surgically creates a stomach pouch that's smaller than the entire stomach, meaning you're no longer able to eat as much as you once did, resulting in weight loss.
Certain underlying conditions also may make you more susceptible to dumping syndrome. These conditions include:
- Diabetes
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, which causes severe peptic ulcers
In addition, using the medication metoclopramide (Reglan) can increase your risk. This drug is sometimes prescribed to ease nausea, vomiting and heartburn.
