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Bariatric surgery proves fatal for youth

Weighed down by obesity and game for bariatric surgery? Hold on. It could be dangerous.

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Weighed down by obesity and game for bariatric surgery? Hold on. It could be dangerous.

Tipping the scales at 152kg, Kinnar Hasmukh Patel, 25, a businessman, believed weight-loss surgery was the easiest way out. He went under the knife at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Surgery in Ahmedabad on December 14. A day later, he died in the hospital. While a probe is on to ascertain the reason of his death, Patel’s case has put bariatric surgeries under scrutiny.

Bariatric surgery is a procedure performed on people who are dangerously obese. Weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with an implanted medical device (gastric banding) or through removal of a portion of the stomach.

For people suffering from morbid obesity, this surgery has become a big help. While it is fast catching up in cities like Mumbai, all may not be well with it.

Experts are of the opinion that bariatric surgery is not suitable for all obese patients. Factors like medical history, BMI (body mass index), and psychiatric history of the patient are pre-conditions for the surgery.

On Patel’s death, the police have registered an FIR, the first of its kind involving an obesity surgery.

While they are looking into the angle of medical negligence, Dr Mahendra
Narwaria, the bariatric surgeon who performed the operation, refutes allegations of any wrong-doing.

According to him, the medical reports of the patient showed no complication
after the surgery and he had no complaints of pain. On whether Patel’s physical condition and medical history were considered before he was admitted for surgery, Narwaria said he weighed 152kg and was 172 inches tall. His BMI was 51.4 against the normal requirement of under 22. Thus he was in the high-risk category.

Patel had hypertension (high blood pressure) that was brought under control with medication. “He was taken to the operation theatre in absolutely perfect condition,” explained Narwaria.

“The patient’s father had a cardiac problem and died at a young age of heart attack. There are chances that the patient may have had a cardiac arrest,” he said.

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