Warning over dangers of medical tourism at inquests into deaths of two Co Cork women after gastric procedures

An obesity expert has warned of the risks of people going abroad for gastric procedures after a coroner heard evidence of how two women after undergoing such surgeries in Turkish hospitals.

Dr Colm O’Boyle, consultant bariatric surgeon at the Bons Secours Hospital in Cork, said he and other specialists in the field were deeply concerned at the number of adverse outcomes among people having gastric procedures abroad.

“There are many hazards related to pursing surgical intervention in a foreign country,” he said. “Most medical tourism is based in non-English speaking countries and is encouraged by low tariffs and shortened waiting times for surgery.

“The selection for surgery appears to be on ability to pay rather than medical appropriateness … the emphasis is on the surgical procedure and often very little advice or care is given regarding the appropriate preoperative selection and work up and the post-operative follow-up.”

Dr O’Boyle was speaking at Cork City Coroner’s Court where coroner Philip Comyn held inquests into the deaths of Estelita Hamelin (46), from Fermoy, and Pamela Canty (53), from Cork city, who died after having gastric procedures in hospitals in Turkey in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Mr Comyn said the cases highlighted the risks associated with going abroad for gastric procedures, adding that it seems there is inadequate preoperative consultation and post-operative care, including early discharge, at some hospitals.

“Ultimately it’s a decision for the individuals themselves but people need to be aware of the risks involved when they go abroad for this type of surgery,” the coroner said. “I am concerned that people should know the nature of the risks involved and discuss it here with the relevant medical personnel.”

Mr Comyn returned a verdict of death by medical misadventure in the case of Ms Canty, who died in Cork less than a week after undergoing a procedure in a hospital in Izmir. He returned an open verdict in the case of Ms Hamelin due to the failure of the hospital in Istanbul to provide medical records in relation to her death after she suffered a bleed on the operating table.