British Mother Dies During Botched Weight-Loss Surgery in Turkey After Complication

LONDON, Nov 12(Daily mail) — A 54-year-old British mother, Janet Savage, tragically died after complications during a gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey. She had traveled to Antalya for the procedure in August 2023 after struggling to afford Ozempic, a weight-loss drug she had previously used.

Janet Savage booked the surgery in July 2023, just 24 hours after first contacting a health tourism company. She arranged to travel to Turkey the following month. However, during the surgery at Ozel Rich Private Hospital on August 5, something went terribly wrong.

The inquest heard that during the operation, surgical implements caused a rupture in Savage’s aortic artery. Despite attempts to repair the damage, she suffered a cardiac arrest and died on the early hours of August 6 in the hospital’s intensive care unit. Her husband, Andrew, later identified her body.

Coroner Kate Robertson confirmed that the cause of death was due to acute bleeding from the abdominal aorta. The surgeon tried to fix the injury, but the damage was fatal.

The health tourism company, Regenesis Health Travel, arranged the surgery for Mrs. Savage. The company’s client administrator, Alison Ergun, said Savage had expressed concerns about the surgery before traveling, but went ahead after being reassured by other patients. Ergun also mentioned that during the surgery, there was a complication and Mrs. Savage stopped breathing for a brief period.

Later that day, Mrs. Savage’s family arrived in Antalya and was informed that she had experienced serious internal bleeding and had a heart attack.

This tragic incident highlights the risks of traveling abroad for medical procedures, particularly when complications arise and communication can be challenging for families.