Morbid Obesity Horror Stories
An attending once told me a story about a colleague doing an abdominal operation on a morbidly obese patient, cutting through layers and layers of fat, only to hit the operating table on the other end. The surgeon, getting lost in the patient’s adipose tissue, went completely through a roll of fat, as opposed to cutting down to the abdominal wall.
Holy sh*t. That’s all I have to say about that.
OMG… I’m going out for a run pronto!!
this sounds really, really scary!
oh the humanity! they should post this as inspiration on weightwatchers.com
That’s not a morbid obesity story; it’s an incompetent surgeon story. If he’s so inattentive to what he’s doing, he shouldn’t be operating.
What was the guy using, a chainsaw?
nice comment, #4. (NOT) your sarcasm is something i hope doesn’t poison your patients,if they are unfortunate enough to have you as a “care”giver.
shit happens in surgery, that’s for sure. the surgeons (3) i know well pride themselves in being able to an if not beautiful, at least technically excellent job on people of all ages, sizes, and degrees of health and frailty. we don’t really know whether or not the MD in the story was mortified, but i bet if he was a good MD he was. tissue planes, people, tissue planes.
Fat people experience lower quality medical care than thin people, in all sorts of ways. This is compounded by the anti-fat bias of most medical professionals.
A study published in NEJM, January 16, 2003, found that fatter patients are more likely to have surgical instruments/sponges left inside them after surgery! Researchers reviewed cases of 54 people who suffered this outcome and 235 cases of people who didn’t. They, reasonably, recommend x-ray for patients at high risk.
Technique is one thing. Attitudes are far more dangerous.
In Obesity Research 11:1033-1039 (2003), a survey of healthcare professionals who specialize in “obesity,” found that these allegedly well-intentioned people had higher rates of pro-thin/anti-fat bias than other healthcare providers, who tend to hold more anti-fat bias than the general public. Why should I, a self-respecting fat person, trust those who claim to focus on my wellbeing, when their own survey responses reveal they “significantly endorsed
the implicit stereotypes of lazy, stupid, and worthless” when they think of people like me.
If they hack through me — or a fat brother or sister — what does it matter? My life isn’t supposed to be worth living, anyway.
I invite anyone who reads these words to acknowledge the reality of weight-based prejudice in our society and to become educated about how to undo such harmful and unnecessary forms of hatred.
Thanks tons!
I’m sorry, but I am SICK of having to tippy toe around Fat peoples feelings. Poor medical care is a serious issue and should be addressed. Being so fat that the medical team isn’t sure where YOU are under all that blubber, needs to also be addressed. Fat is Fabulous? Fat is pathetic. It’s unatural, unhealthy and NOTHING to be respected. My family runs towards being heavier and we all work very hard to watch our weight and health. If you chose not to, don’t ask me to “respect” your feelings about being fat. You get fat one way. Taking in too much poor nutrient, high calorie food and not burning enough calories. I’m not going to tippy toe around your feelings on the obvious result. FAT FAT FAT. Jesus! Pro fat drives me nuts.