'Gentle giant' died weeks after weight-loss surgery
An obese Greater Manchester father-of-two died after suffering complications from surgery to help reduce his weight, a coroner has ruled.
Gary Cooper, 48, of Ashton-under-Lyne, died five weeks after having gastric bypass surgery last October.
The "gentle giant", who was believed to have weighed about 26 stone, had the NHS-funded operation at the private Alexandra Hospital, Cheadle, on October 14 last year.
Mr Cooper was released from hospital four days later despite being breathless and in agony, the inquest at Stockport Magistrates' Court heard.
The following day, he was rushed to Tameside General Hospital after his condition deteriorated and, the next day, he had an emergency operation to repair two leaks in his stomach where it had been stitched.
He was admitted to intensive care and spent several days on a life support machine. Nine days later, he had a second operation to repair a third leak and, after a brief spell in intensive care, appeared to be recovering well.
However, on November 22, the day before he was due to be released and the date of his wife Sonia's birthday, he collapsed and died.
Coroner John Pollard said he had doubts about the way the risks of surgery were explained to Mr Cooper by his surgeon Bart Decadt.
Recording a narrative verdict, he said: "On October 14 2007, Gary Cooper underwent elective bariatric surgery at the Alexandra Hospital, Cheadle, and was discharged from there on October 18.
"Thereafter he developed leaks from the anastomoses and, despite further surgery at Thameside General Hospital on two separate occasions to attempt to correct those leaks, he eventually died on November 22 2007 as a result of complications arising from the original surgery."
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