Kiwi Woman Suffers Life-Altering Complications After Turkey Surgery

A New Zealand woman has faced severe health complications following a weight-loss surgery in Turkey, highlighting the risks associated with the growing trend of Kiwis seeking affordable medical procedures abroad. Sheri, who has opted not to disclose her last name, shared her harrowing experience with RNZ’s Checkpoint, revealing that she has spent the last 12 weeks in hospital relying on a nasal feeding tube for nutrition after her gastric sleeve operation went wrong in early August.

Sheri’s journey began with her search for more accessible bariatric surgery options. In New Zealand, the cost of such procedures can exceed $30,000, making it unaffordable for many individuals, particularly those working full-time. “It’s not user-friendly for people who have to work full time,” she explained. After her surgery was postponed due to high blood pressure, Sheri felt compelled to proceed despite concerns for her safety. “If I was thinking rationally, I would’ve put safety first and not rushed the surgery,” she admitted, noting the financial investment she had already made.

Unfortunately, her return from Turkey was marked by extreme pain, leading to a diagnosis of a gastric sleeve leak shortly after her flight. Sheri now copes with limited mobility and relies heavily on her family for support.

Surgeons Warn of Increasing Risks for New Zealanders

Dr. Rowan French, a bariatric surgeon from Waikato, stated that Sheri’s case is increasingly common. He reported a troubling rise in the number of New Zealanders returning from overseas surgeries with serious complications, some of which have proven fatal. “We’re seeing things like staple line leaks and bowel obstructions from operations done incorrectly,” Dr. French remarked. He recounted a recent incident where two patients arrived directly from overseas, one of whom was on the brink of death.

Complications such as sepsis and other post-surgical infections are prevalent, often necessitating extensive treatment that can cost New Zealand’s public health system over $100,000 per patient. Dr. French noted that some patients have even undergone the wrong procedures. “One woman asked for a gastric bypass and instead had a loop of bowel joined to her sleeve — a completely different operation,” he stated.

Because New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) does not cover overseas medical procedures, the financial burden of treating these complications falls on the already strained public healthcare system. Dr. French highlighted that many patients drawn to these cheaper options are from low-income backgrounds and may lack sufficient health literacy. “They’re being drawn in by cheap deals on social media, but it’s unsafe and unsustainable,” he said.

Dr. French believes that the issue could be mitigated if more bariatric surgeries were publicly funded in New Zealand. Currently, he is limited to performing just 50 surgeries a year despite high demand. “At the end of the day, it’s a failure of the system,” he concluded. “People are being forced to take dangerous risks overseas because they can’t get the care they need here.”

As the trend of medical tourism continues to rise, the stories of patients like Sheri serve as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers and complications that can arise from seeking cheaper healthcare options abroad.