Fat to Fit the Healthy Mag gained firsthand insight into a critical clinical case presented at Nutrition 2025 by registered dietitians from Rutgers University. The case involves a 39-year-old woman who, just weeks after undergoing sleeve gastrectomy, developed severe malnutrition and cardiac complications that led to life-support treatment with ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation).
The patient had not been taking her prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements consistently and experienced rapid weight loss. She was admitted to the hospital after a fall and soon deteriorated into multi-organ failure, suspected endocarditis, and the need for intensive nutritional and medical support. Over her hospital stay, she was managed with enteral nutrition and eventually transitioned back to oral intake. Upon discharge, she had lost 13.5 kg from her admission weight.
The authors of the case emphasize that patients who undergo bariatric surgery—especially within the first year—are at high risk of protein-calorie malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, particularly if they fail to follow post-operative dietary guidelines. Caloric intake may drop to just 50–60% of preoperative needs, and deficiencies can develop quickly, often with subtle or delayed lab markers.
This case highlights how vulnerable these patients can become, especially when compounded by unrelated health events or hospitalizations. It also underscores the need for healthcare providers to consider surgical history and nutrition risk in any acute care scenario.
Presented by Kristine Kittridge, MS, RD, LD, CNSC and Rebecca Brody, PhD, RD, LD, CNSC, this case serves as a reminder that post-bariatric nutrition must be closely monitored—not just for weight management, but for survival.
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