Guillain-Barré syndrome (demyelinating) six weeks after bariatric surgery: A case report and literature review

Obesity is a major health problem worldwide. Bariatric surgery has been increasingly used to manage obesity. Many acute as well as chronic neurological complications have been reported after bariatric surgery including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). An autoimmune process has been postulated as the underlying pathophysiology. Most of the reported cases of GBS after bariatric surgery are of the axonal variety. Here, we report a case of a demyelinating variety of GBS in a young woman who presented with acute onset of progressive weakness and paresthesia of all limbs within six weeks after bariatric surgery. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and rehabilitation. She had complete recovery on follow-up. We believe that onset of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP), which is demyelinating variety of GBS, is associated with changes in immune system after bariatric surgery.