Mother-of-two tragically dies while undergoing weight loss surgery in Turkey
A mother-of-two has tragically died during weight-loss surgery in Turkey.
Emma Morrissey, from Cheshire, died last summer after a surgeon accidentally punctured her abdomen during a stomach operation – for which she was not eligible on the NHS.
The private hospital in Antalya tried to claim the 44-year-old died of ‘natural’ causes and not the ‘massive haemorrhage’ that actually killed her, a coroner has warned.
Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, has written to the company that arranged the procedure, Regenesis Health Travel, for failing to carrying out the necessary checks to ensure Mrs Morrissey was fit for the operation.
She warned there was a risk of future deaths under similar circumstances unless “action is taken”.
Emma Morrissey, from Cheshire, died last summer after a surgeon accidentally punctured her abdomen during a stomach operation – for which she was not eligible on the NHS
The private hospital in Antalya tried to claim the 44-year-old died of ‘natural’ causes and not the ‘massive haemorrhage’ that actually killed her, a coroner has warned.
A coroner’s report shows that Ms Morrissey was flown to Turkey on July 6 last year for stomach surgery, which involves the removal of a large part of the stomach.
Those who undergo the procedure are unable to eat as much as before and feel full more quickly.
It is only available on the NHS to those who are obese and have tried all other weight loss methods, who agree to make a healthy lifestyle change after surgery and are fit and healthy enough to undergo the operation.
Ms Morrissey did not meet these criteria and therefore arranged surgery at the private Termessos Hospital through health tourism company Regenisis.
Its website states that it offers ‘all flights, 24/7 transport service, interpreter service and accommodation to provide our patients with ultimate comfort and care’.
But during her surgery on July 7, a surgeon perforated her abdomen with a medical instrument.
This caused internal bleeding, which led to Mrs Morrissey’s death the following day.
The coroner said there is a risk of future deaths unless action is taken.
Ms Devonish explained that Regenesis UK relied on the information Ms Morrissey provided about her health and ‘did not undertake any independent investigation’ to confirm she was medically fit to undergo the operation.
Furthermore, there is no evidence that the form Ms Morrissey was asked to complete about her health was prepared by an expert and that her family history was not asked.
The coroner also targeted the Turkish authorities.
‘There is no evidence of an investigation into the operating table death by the Ministry of Health in Turkey, the private Termessos Hospital or Regenesis UK, despite Regenesis being informed that the death during the operation was caused by the surgeon ‘ she wrote. .
Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, has written to the company that arranged the procedure, Regenesis Health Travel, for failing to carry out the necessary checks to ensure Ms Morrissey was suitable for the operation.
Hospital medics also failed to properly prepare Ms Morrissey’s body for return to Britain, meaning she was at risk of decomposing and would pose a health risk to professionals receiving her body in Britain.
Surgeons also claimed the stomach surgery was not fully performed due to Ms Morrissey’s bleeding, the report said. But British experts found it was complete and the Turkish team failed to identify the correct site of the bleeding.
Doctors in Turkey reported that Ms Morrissey died of natural causes, despite the “massive bleeding” caused during the operation being unnatural, Ms Devonish said.
She said: ‘The evidence before the inquest was that three incisions were made in the abdomen, two of which were made with a sharp instrument.’
She issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Warrington Council and Private Termessos Hastanesi.
She concluded that they have the power to take action to prevent similar deaths in the future and ordered them to respond to her by October 30.
MailOnline has contacted Regenesis for comment.