WERNICKE'S ENCEPHALOPATHY IN A PATIENT AFTER GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a major public health crisis. There were approximately 414,000 deaths attributed to obesity in 2000.1 Bariatric surgery for morbid obesity has become more common as a result of the increasing prevalence of obesity. There are many complications that can occur related to bariatric surgery; however, malnutrition and essential vitamin deficiencies are not commonly recognized. We present a case of Wernicke's encephalopathy most likely secondary to thiamine deficiency in a patient who had a recent history of gastric bypass surgery.