Weight Loss Surgery Death Investigation: Doctor Grilled Over Record Keeping and Patient Discharge

Strategic Insights -

A 62-year-old woman, Rosemarie Campbell, died three days after undergoing gastric bypass surgery at The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane in February 2022. The operation was performed by Dr. Vahid Reza Adib, who is also the partner of former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. The inquest into Campbell's death is examining the appropriateness of the second surgery and the circumstances of her discharge from hospital.

During the inquest, Dr. Adib was questioned extensively about his treatment of Campbell, including a lack of records of his consultations with her after the 2020 gastric sleeve procedure. He acknowledged that there were "shortcomings" with the medical record keeping system but denied that this affected his treatment of Campbell. Dr. Adib also accepted that a letter he signed to support Campbell's release of part of her superannuation to fund the second surgery contained incorrect information about her condition, which he attributed to a "clerical error."

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Vahid Reza Adib, the surgeon who performed the weight loss surgery on Rosemarie Campbell, was grilled at an inquest into her death.
  • There were allegations of a lack of records of Dr. Adib's consultations with Campbell after the 2020 gastric sleeve procedure.
  • Dr. Adib acknowledged "shortcomings" with the medical record keeping system used by his team.
  • A letter signed by Dr. Adib to support Campbell's release of part of her superannuation to fund the second surgery contained incorrect information about her condition.
  • Dr. Adib attributed the error to a "clerical error" and accepted full responsibility for it.
  • Campbell's death was due to complications from the surgery, which were not adequately documented in her medical records.
  • Dr. Adib's decision-making process in recommending the second surgery is being questioned.

Statistics:

  • Rosemarie Campbell was 62 years old at the time of her death.
  • Campbell had a BMI of over 40, class 3 obesity, before her first surgery.
  • Her BMI had dropped to the overweight range after the first surgery but had increased to class 1 obesity before the second surgery.
  • Dr. Adib told the court that Campbell had a "very poor quality of life" due to ongoing reflux and that gastric bypass surgery was the "gold standard" for treating this condition.
  • Campbell died three days after undergoing gastric bypass surgery.

Sources:

  • "Coronial inquest, Rosemarie Campbell, Dr Reza Adib, weight-loss surgery, former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, gastric sleeve operation, specialist bariatric surgeon, gastric bypass surgery, The Wesley Hospital" (no date)
  • "Forensic pathologist Dr. Isaac Han's statement to the court" (no date)