A British woman died from an infection in her abdomen just days after undergoing weight-loss surgery in Turkey, an inquest has heard. Morgan Ribeiro, 20, from Croydon, south London, travelled to Istanbul on January 5, 2024, for a gastric sleeve operation costing £2,500.
Details of the Surgery and Subsequent Illness
Three days after the surgery, her operating doctor gave her medical clearance to fly back to the UK. However, during her return flight to London Gatwick with her partner, Jamie Brewster, she became severely unwell. The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia, where she was admitted to an intensive care unit. She died on January 13.
Post-Mortem Findings
Reading the findings of the post-mortem conducted in Serbia, which were reviewed by a UK pathologist, Assistant Coroner Laura Stephenson stated that Ms Ribeiro's death was recorded as 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 was unable to record a conclusion because the surgeon who performed the procedure, Dr Serkan Bayil, has not responded to repeated requests for information. 'I am not making findings of fact now as to whether that (Serbian finding) is correct but clearly the evidence I have now is that I need to know more about the surgery,' she said.
Surgeon's Claims and Lack of Cooperation
Dr Bayil has previously claimed that he did nothing wrong and that Ms Ribeiro died of an 'embolism' on the flight home, a claim contradicted by the Serbian post-mortem findings. Ms Stephenson said her team had been trying to contact Dr Bayil since December to inform him of his 'interested person' status and to request details of the operation. Letters and emails were sent to him at the Apera Health Group clinic, where he appeared to be based.
'It's not clear from officers' inquiries if that correspondence has reached him or if he's still based there (at Apera Health Group),' she said. 'I don't have the same powers because it's in a foreign jurisdiction.'
Adjournment and Family's Response
The hearing was delayed as last-minute efforts were made to contact the doctor. Proceedings were adjourned, and Ms Stephenson set a new date of August 28 for the case, indicating she would record a conclusion whether contact had been made or not. The inquest was previously adjourned in October last year for further information.
Ms Ribeiro's father, Richard Ribeiro, 46, spoke through tears, saying: '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.'
Context and Calls for Regulation
A gastric band operation in the UK costs between £8,000 and £10,000; Ms Ribeiro paid for the cheaper option abroad with her trust fund. Both of her parents have called for more regulations to prevent future deaths from surgery abroad. It has been reported that 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.
