‘Lots of corners are being cut’ – Bariatric surgeon Dr Colm O’Boyle warns of the risks of medical tourism
'Lots of corners are being cut' - Bariatric surgeon Dr Colm O’Boyle warns of the risks of medical tourism
A warning has been issued over the dangers of so-called medical tourism after a Cork coroner held inquests into three women who died following procedures in Turkey and Latvia.
Cork coroner Philip Comyn has urged people to carefully consider the risks associated with travelling overseas for surgeries, while a leading Irish weight-loss surgeon, Dr Colm O'Boyle, said Irish surgeons are very worried by the complications arising from such foreign surgeries.
Dr O'Boyle, a leading laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, said it was vital that studies be conducted on the mortality rates associated with such overseas clinics. He said Irish surgeons are worried these rates are far higher than in Ireland or other EU countries.
“It is very dangerous… to do the surgery in isolation as a surgeon is to court disaster,” said Dr O’Boyle. “My advice is not to have surgery abroad, particularly if it is bariatric surgery. There is quite a concern in the Irish surgical community that the possible complications and possible mortality related to surgery abroad is much higher than it is here in Ireland.
“Lots of corners are being cut [in some overseas clinics]. “It would be very useful if somebody collated just how many people are dying and then find out how many people are going abroad for surgery. But we suspect it is much higher than it should be.”
