Objective:

To establish the incidence of internal hernias (IH) in patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) in the surgical and clinical therapeutic services “B” and “D” of the University Hospital of Caracas (UHC).

Methods:

A cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive study was conducted. The population consisted of all patients who underwent LRYGB in the clinical and therapeutic surgical services “B” and “D” of the UHC between January 2013 and December 2018. A non-probabilistic intentional sampling was used to obtain the sample according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and it is represented by patients who underwent LRYGB and subsequently received a diagnosis of symptomatic IH. Results: The incidence of IH in the studied period was 8.6%, with the Petersen’s space being the most frequently herniated, at 51.7%. The average percentage of excess weight loss (EWL) was 81.7%. IH on average appeared at 33.8 months, and they were more common when the ascent of the food loop was retrocolic.

Conclusions:

These results underscore the importance of vigilant and careful monitoring of patients undergoing LRYGB to early detect and address IH. They also highlight the relevance of continued research and identification of risk factors for these complications to improve surgical practices and postoperative care, aiming to optimize long-term outcomes and the quality of life of post-bariatric patients.