A 20-year-old British woman died from an abdominal infection days after undergoing weight-loss surgery in Turkey, a court heard today. Morgan Ribeiro, from Croydon, south London, travelled to Istanbul on January 5, 2024, for a £2,500 gastric sleeve operation. Three days after the surgery, her operating doctor cleared her to fly back to the UK. However, during her return flight to London Gatwick with her partner, Jamie Brewster, she became very unwell. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia, where she was admitted to intensive care. She died on January 13, 2024.
Post-Mortem Findings and Surgical Complications
Reading the Serbian post-mortem results, reviewed by a UK pathologist, Assistant Coroner Laura Stephenson stated that Morgan's death was due to diffuse inflammation of the retroperitoneum and rupture of the intestinal wall. It is suspected that her small intestine was punctured during the surgery in Turkey, leading to the infection and her death. However, Ms Stephenson could not record a conclusion today because the surgeon, Dr Serkan Bayil, has not responded to repeated requests for information.
Coroner's Efforts to Contact Surgeon
Ms Stephenson named Dr Serkan Bayil as the surgeon and said her team had been trying to contact him since December to inform him of his interested person status and to request details of the operation. Letters and emails were sent to the Apera Health Group clinic where he appeared to be based. The hearing was delayed as last-minute attempts were made to reach the doctor. Proceedings were adjourned, and a new date of August 28 was set, with Ms Stephenson indicating she would record a conclusion on that day whether contact had been made or not.
Dr Bayil has previously claimed he did nothing wrong and that Morgan died of an embolism on the flight home, a claim contradicted by the Serbian post-mortem findings. The Serbian doctor who performed the autopsy stated there was a profound infection and septicaemia, and that a segment of her small intestine had been removed and was damaged as a result of the operation.
Family's Pursuit of Justice
Morgan's devastated father, Richard Ribeiro, 46, sat alone in court. Speaking through tears, he said, 'I have waited two years for this. I'll wait as long as it takes. I want to know whether it was malpractice or not.' Morgan's mother, Erin Gibson, previously emphasised her need for justice: 'I want justice. Not just for Morgan but for anybody else who has gone through this. It's wrong, it shouldn't be happening. My daughter had her whole life ahead of her.'
Morgan decided to undergo weight-loss surgery after years of bullying due to her weight. A gastric band operation in the UK costs between £8,000 and £10,000, but Morgan paid for the cheaper option abroad with her trust fund. Erin now hopes to stop others from travelling to Turkey for surgery and to tackle body image issues on social media.
Calls for Regulation
Both of Morgan's parents have called for more regulations to prevent future deaths from surgery abroad. The operation took place at the Medevita private hospital in Istanbul, which provided a room for the treatment, but Dr Bayil was never based there permanently. The inquest was previously adjourned in October last year due to a lack of information.
