Times of India
24 June 2010
By Pratibha Masand
Mumbai, India

Sameera Dias (name changed), today weighs 72 kg and eats whatever she wants to. But till six months ago, her life read like a horror story. Sameera (29) had hypertension, type II diabetes, hypothyroidism and weighed 128 kg. However, when her diabetes exceeded safe limits, doctors decided to operate on her.

She underwent sleeve gastrectomy, a type of bariatric surgery, at Hiranandani Hospital in August 2008. Post–surgery, Sameera started losing weight rapidly and stopped going for scheduled followups. That is when her nightmare began.

"I lost around 60 kg in six months. After a few days, a small hole formed on the left side of my abdomen and 70% of whatever I consumed (including water) would leak from that hole,’’ said Sameera.

After approaching five different hospitals that turned her down, Sameera returned to Hiranandani in January this year. "When we opened up her abdomen during surgery, we found that all her metabolic organs were entangled. So whatever she ate, leaked from that hole into the abdominal cavity. This resulted in infection and pus,’’ said Dr Shashank Shah, bariatric surgeon at Hiranandani Hospital. "As it had nowhere to go, it burst like a big boil through her skin."

Seven of Sameera’s organs had to be modified. "We had to remove her gall bladder and spleen. Part of her oesophagus and stomach had to be removed and then connected again. Apart from these, her lung, diaphragm and pancreas had to be modified too. After this, we cleaned the hole and mended it,’’ said Dr Shah.

Dr Vishal Chopra, diabetologist at Hiranandani said: "If Sameera had continued with follow–ups, her problem would have been detected earlier.’’ According to Dr Shah, the patient has to accept the risks involved before going for the operation.