Bilateral leg oedema after bariatric surgery: A selenium-deficient cardiomyopathy.

This report describes a case of selenium-deficient cardiomyopathy secondary to bariatric surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery). A 40 year-old woman presented with bilateral leg oedema nine months after the surgical procedure. Timely diagnosis of selenium-deficient cardiomyopathy was due to the recognition of symptoms of heart failure, increased NT pro-BNP level, detection of myocardial diastolic dysfunction and impaired left ventricular global longitudinal strain by echocardiography, and early identification of selenium deficiency. Symptoms resolution, cardiac biomarkers and echocardiographic abnormalities normalization were observed after 3 months of oral selenium supplementation and conventional heart failure therapy. Any sign of heart failure after bariatric surgery should require screening for a nutrient-deficient cardiomyopathy.