A criminal complaint over the death of a British mother of two who died after weight loss surgery in Turkey has been prepared after her campaigning family discovered a different doctor to the one agreed had carried out the surgery.
The complaint has been drafted after the family of Emma Morrissey, from Warrington, who was 44 when she died, had her body flown back to the UK and an autopsy ordered to test the hospital’s claim that she died of natural causes.
The body was repatriated to England where the Cheshire coroner’s court heard during an inquest that Regenesis Travel, which had arranged Emma’s operation, had not carried out checks to ensure that she was fit enough to undergo the procedure.
An autopsy in the UK revealed that she died from internal bleeding after weight-loss surgery at the Termessos Hospital in Antalya in July last year after a surgeon allegedly perforated her abdomen with an instrument.
Emma did not meet the criteria for a gastric sleeve with the NHS, so she travelled to Turkey for the procedure, according to reports.
Her family had organised the autopsy on her body at an independent health institution in England, which found that the hospital in Antalya was at fault.
They are preparing to file a criminal complaint in Turkey, with the family’s lawyer, named as Omer Avci, quoted as saying in Turkish media: “My client came to Antalya last year to have stomach surgery. She died two days after the surgery.
“Relatives of the patient met with hospital officials to find out the cause of death. The report given by the hospital states that a death occurred due to multiple organ failure. No autopsy was performed here.
“They took the deceased patient to England because they found the death suspicious and asked an independent health institution to perform an autopsy there.
“The autopsy revealed that it was due to the misdiagnosis of the doctor who performed the surgery and the procedures performed there.
“As a result of two different reports emerging, the family sought justice and contacted us.
“They want those who are at fault in this death to be punished.”
Avci also said: “My client had meetings with doctors every 2-3 days for 15 days before coming to Turkey.
“Her complete trust was gained, all information was given about the hospital and the procedures that the doctor would perform, but unfortunately the doctor who performed the surgery was not the same doctor with whom the agreement was made, who was interviewed, and who said ‘I will perform the surgery’, but then allowed it to be done by another doctor.”
Emma’s family also said in a statement quoted by Turkish media: “There is nothing that will bring Emma back and we have to live the rest of our lives without her.
“We hope that continued coverage of Emma’s death will raise awareness of the risks of bariatric surgery and improve standards in the industry. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
