Lisa Marie Presley died after the development of small bowel obstruction, a severe complication He underwent bariatric surgery years ago, according to an autopsy report released Thursday.
Experts say these types of complications after weight-loss surgery are a known but rare risk. Here’s what you should know:
WHAT HAPPENED TO LISA MARIE PRESLEY?
The 54-year-old singer-songwriter and daughter of Elvis Presley was rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital on January 12 after she was found unresponsive at home died hours later.
The cause of death was a complication of small bowel obstruction related to previous bariatric surgery, the autopsy revealed. Parts of Presley’s intestines were pinched or “strangled” by scar tissue that had formed after the surgery, and she had developed severe acid build-up in her blood.
What is bariatric surgery? How common is it?
Bariatric surgery is surgery on the stomach or intestines to promote weight loss. They are usually done for moderate or severe obesity when other methods have not helped.
There are several types of bariatric procedures, including those that remove or reroute part of the stomach, or place a band around part of the stomach to make it smaller.
The autopsy report isn’t clear what type of surgery Presley had, although experts said it wasn’t a gastric sleeve, which is the most common procedure.
according to dr According to Marina Kurian, President of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, approximately 263,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in 2021. Only about 1% of people who are eligible for the surgery get it.
How risky are these surgeries?
In general, bariatric surgery is “very safe,” Kurian said. The overall risk of serious complications, according to the ASMBS, is about 4% and the risk of death is about 0.1%.
“It’s safer than gallbladder surgery,” Kurian said.
What complications can occur?
After surgery or other trauma to the abdomen, scar tissue called adhesions can form. That can cause kinking and blockages in the gut, said Dr. Thomas Inge, chief surgeon and specialist in bariatric surgery at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
In Presley’s case, it appeared that “she had a torsion of her entire bowel,” said Inge, who reviewed the autopsy report.
If this is not resolved quickly, the blockage cuts off blood flow to the intestines, causing the intestines to “strangle” and creating a cascade of potentially deadly problems. In Presley’s case, this led to a toxic buildup of acids in her body and her heart stopped, the autopsy report said.
Presley reported abdominal pain and discomfort on the morning of her death, the report said. It’s not clear if the pain was new.
“Anyone who has had abdominal surgery should seek pain relief immediately,” said Inge. If diagnosed early, the problem can be treated.
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